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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29866806">The Hunt for Red Flowers</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quarra/pseuds/Quarra'>Quarra</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/xantissa/pseuds/xantissa'>xantissa</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>No Wolves Allowed [19]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Castlevania Lords of Shadow と 宿命の魔鏡 | Castlevania: Lords of Shadow &amp; Mirror of Fate, Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, 悪魔城ドラキュラ | Castlevania Series</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Accidental Drug Use, Action/Adventure, Angst, Anxiety, But there are graphic memories of smut, Canon-Typical Violence, Crack, Crack Treated Seriously, Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Discussion of kinks, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Explicit Sexual Content, Fall out from ill-thought out magical bonds, Feels, Flashbacks, Fluff, Friendship, Grahpic memories of torture, Hallucinogens, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Internalized Kink Shaming, M/M, Mission Fic, Relationship Discussions, Starvation, Unreliable Narrator, aka Eskel dealing with what happened in Steingard's dungeon, bros being bros killing monsters, discussion of dub con touching, possibly fucked up relationship dynamics, some gore, there is no smut in this fic, they're trying to make it better, which is why it gets an explicit rating, witcher adventure!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 01:27:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>68,652</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29866806</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quarra/pseuds/Quarra, https://archiveofourown.org/users/xantissa/pseuds/xantissa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Eskel knows that <i>he</i> would like to see Dracula all decked out in flowers. He also knows that Geralt is a bit of an idiot when it comes to being properly thoughtful about his lovers. Thus, he decides to do his brother a solid, and drags him out to find Dracula a suitable gift.</p>
<p>Things do not go as planned. Because of course.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eskel &amp; Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Gabriel Belmont | Dracula/Eskel (The Witcher), Gabriel Belmont | Dracula/Trevor Belmont | Alucard/Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Trevor Belmont | Alucard &amp; Eskel (The Witcher), Trevor Belmont | Alucard/Eskel (The Witcher)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>No Wolves Allowed [19]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1195675</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>99</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>195</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey folks! It's been a while since the last fic in the series. Bright side, that's because this one is novel length! Almost 69k words in total. Wooo hoo. It's all proofed, beta-read, ready to post, so we'll be posting the chapters every other day (or so. We'll see how impatient we get, lol). </p>
<p>Again, a HUGE MASSIVE THANK YOU to our wonderful beta reader, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/dsudis/pseuds/Dira%20Sudis">Dira Sudis</a>. You are a life saver and I know we both very much appreciate your efforts :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>--</p>
<p>Eskel had been on the road for a few days, traveling on horseback to look for Geralt. </p>
<p>It wasn’t an urgent thing. Not really. But Eskel was left feeling… out of sorts after his encounter with Dracula. They hadn’t had sex, not really. Both of them got off, true, but no one got <i>fucked</i>. </p>
<p>The experience was… different, and not just because it was the first time Eskel had really done anything like that with a man.</p>
<p>He’d so eagerly given in to Dracula’s orders, and the way he loved doing it… that gave Eskel a lot of pause. He knew himself well enough to know that he wanted to do more with Dracula at some point. It was just too mind-blowingly good not to. He was pretty damn worried about the implications of it, though. </p>
<p>Dracula himself had said that the experience was different for him, too. More intense. The deep growl in his voice when he said he wanted to <i>own</i> Eskel still sent shivers down Eskel’s spine. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling. Pretty damn opposite of unpleasant, in fact.</p>
<p>On top of all the internal conflict about that, Eskel was troubled by how… sweetly he’d begun to regard Dracula. He knew that the idea that witchers were heartless, immune to all softer emotion, was a <i>lie</i>. It was still difficult to reconcile that life-long paradigm with his own slowly budding feelings. He felt invested with Dracula and Alucard in a way that he never had been with anyone else before. </p>
<p>All the business with bonds and marks and whatever else just muddled that feeling up. He missed Alucard like he would miss a hand, and Dracula’s touch made him light up inside. Was that because of the unrequited bond that still tugged at Eskel’s soul? Or was it just because he missed them? </p>
<p>Maybe it was both. </p>
<p>The whole situation had him feeling muddled and wrongfooted. He needed time to process, to settle himself enough that he could distinguish between the different things he was feeling. </p>
<p>He also, just a little bit, felt the need for someone familiar. Geralt was his brother in everything but blood. They knew each other very well, and Eskel knew that Geralt might have some good advice. Or hell, he might just take one look at Eskel and decide that all they needed was a good week or two of killing things to feel settled. That had happened in the past. More than once.</p>
<p>Geralt also knew more about Dracula and how he operated. Maybe he could offer some insight there as well.</p>
<p>While that was the main reason he decided to hunt his brother down, there was something else that stuck in Eskel’s craw like a bloody rock.</p>
<p>Dracula said that he’d never gotten flowers as a gift. </p>
<p>Never.</p>
<p>What the <i>fuck</i>. </p>
<p>Geralt had been fucking Dracula and Alucard for over a year now, going on a year and a half, and he’d never given his lovers any gifts? That was beyond bullshit and straight to absolute lunacy and fuck if Eskel was going to let Geralt get away with that. </p>
<p>For fuck’s sake, Geralt should know better. </p>
<p>And if a little voice in the back of Eskel’s head reminded him that maybe he just wanted to see Dracula covered in flowers, well. That was beside the point. Geralt was the one in a real relationship with Dracula. He should be the one to shower Dracula with flowers first. It was only fair.</p>
<p>Maybe after that Eskel could get his own bag of petals to give to the vampire lord. </p>
<p>So the day after Eskel had somewhat recovered from his tryst with Dracula, he’d packed up his gear to head out and find Geralt. He did his best not to think of the faint ache at the inside of his thigh every time his horse moved or the way the collar of his armor rubbed against the mark on his neck. The bitemarks faded eventually and Eskel wasn’t sure how to feel about them being gone.</p>
<p>Geralt wasn’t in his top form yet. This was really his first longer venture out of the keep. It had taken weeks for him to train his skills back after his near death. Partially, Eskel suspected, he’d drawn it out to spend time with his lovers and reassure them that he had survived. </p>
<p>Alucard had left first while Dracula had lingered on, occupying Geralt’s time. Eskel realized, with a start, that he’d <i>missed</i> Geralt. Because even when Geralt was at the keep at the same time as Eskel, most of his attention was directed at his vampire lovers.</p>
<p>A strange thought. Eskel had never felt like that after wintering at Kaer Morhen. Usually they were all clawing at the walls to get <i>away</i> from each other.</p>
<p>Even though Orlaith had set up a private entrance for the witchers to sneak in and out of, all of them were still wary of encountering any of Henselt’s men beyond the wall of Dracula’s city. </p>
<p>Heading south towards Ard Carraigh was what Geralt would have normally done. The city was the capital of Kaedwen, and there was always a fair amount of work to be had in and around that area. But Ard Carraigh was also where King Henselt was, and none of them had forgotten how thoroughly the witcher Letho had been tortured before he came to them, or how nasty King Henselt’s temper was known to be. </p>
<p>So Eskel gambled that Geralt had gone north, up towards Narok. </p>
<p>Narok was a small principality of Kovir and Poviss, and thus whatever orders Henselt had set out to his spies for dealing with witchers wouldn’t be active there. </p>
<p>The city of Aedd Gynvael wasn’t that far away, and they’d all done some work there from time to time. It was northwest of Kaer Morhen and Dracula’s city, nestled in the foothills of the Dragon Mountains.</p>
<p>Meaning it would be cold, even now in the warm summer months. </p>
<p>Fuck, but Eskel was not looking forward to that. The lack of Alucard’s touch had left him with a lingering chill, a sensation that no size fire and no number of blankets could ward off. Already it had been weeks since he’d seen Alucard last, and while Dracula’s attention had warmed him for a while, the cold had descended back over Eskel’s body within hours of leaving Dracula’s side.</p>
<p>It probably had something to do with how similar Dracula and Alucard’s power was. Alucard fed from Dracula, and they shared blood both by birth and by vampiric lineage. Dracula also <i>thrummed</i> with power, like a blazing lighthouse in the dark. If said lighthouse were made of shadows and chaos rather than something that illuminated, anyways. It would make sense that Dracula’s touch would feel better than any human’s.</p>
<p>Whatever the reason, being a little cold wouldn’t kill Eskel. He knew that. This was just something else to be endured. Witchers were very good at enduring all manner of things. </p>
<p>He still couldn’t stop himself from thinking about how Dracula had shown up in his room before he left Kaer Morhen. The way he’d run his hands up under Eskel’s shirt and down the leg of his pants, pressing on the still-healing bite marks that littered Eskel’s skin. He then, of course, proceeded to bite his neck, leaving Eskel weak-kneed and marked up even more.</p>
<p>The last time he’d touched Alucard was almost as memorable. Though it was just a simple embrace, there was a heat between them. It was something like what Eskel felt with Dracula, but not quite the same. There was magic there, and a sense of belonging that was just out of reach.</p>
<p>Eskel tried not to think about that at all. </p>
<p>Instead, he focused on the road in front of him, and tracking down Geralt. </p>
<p>Honestly, it wasn’t hard to pick up his trail. People were abuzz with news about witchers, and Geralt was more than recognizable. He’d been picking up small contracts along the way. Easy things, good for getting back into the swing of being on the Path.</p>
<p>Eskel heartily approved. Geralt could use the practice, and it was a relief to hear that he’d been sensible with his choices of hunts rather than jumping right into something he wasn’t ready for. </p>
<p>While Eskel did have a project in mind for them to work on, Geralt’s recovery shouldn’t hinder it. There would be two of them, and Eskel was in top fighting condition, despite losing quite a bit of blood recently, courtesy of Dracula. This would be a breeze, and likely net Geralt some excellent goodies to give to his lovers. </p>
<p>It took a little under a week for Eskel to finally catch up with Geralt. </p>
<p>He hadn’t quite gotten to Aedd Gynvael when the towns he rode through started to have very recent word of a white-haired witcher asking around about local contracts. </p>
<p>So Eskel did a little more investigating and ended up catching a few whiffs of Geralt’s scent around town. Less than a day old, too. The blacksmith told him about a drowner problem the local fishermen were having, so Eskel decided to check that out first.</p>
<p>Drowners weren’t pleasant, but generally they weren’t too hard a contract. As long as they didn’t swarm. And provided they didn’t have a water hag with them. Eskel himself would have taken the contract without a second worried thought and probably had the bounty by the next day. No doubt Geralt thought the same thing. </p>
<p>Still, it would be fun to rib Geralt a little about the sensible choices he was making. After a lifetime of one ridiculous adventure after another, seeing Geralt doing ordinary witcher work should be hilarious. Eskel could offer some pointers maybe.</p>
<p>He heard the grunts and the splashes long before he saw the river bank. The trees were thick along the shore and the bushes were even thicker. It was bad enough that his horse, Scorpion, protested more and more as they rode on, even going as far as to give a little ill-tempered buck. Eskel was reduced to dismounting and using his steel sword to hack through the thorny underbrush, his smug mount following after him through the cleared path.</p>
<p>When his boots hit the muddy bank and he cut away the last of the branches obscuring his view, he saw Geralt on the opposite side of the bank fighting drowners. </p>
<p>Or rather, <i>trying</i> to fight the drowners. </p>
<p>This nest had to be an old one, or at least smarter than most. Instead of going at Geralt with their claws out and hissing, as they usually would, they instead kept feinting attacks and luring Geralt in. Whenever he turned to attack one, it would instantly burrow under the muddy, waterlogged ground, while a different one would try to take a swipe at Geralt’s back. </p>
<p>For Geralt, this would be dangerous and frustrating. </p>
<p>From Eskel’s vantage point, it just looked hilarious. Geralt was muddied to hell and back. He’d probably already taken a tumble or two into the slippery riverbank, judging by the thick smears of black mud stuck to his legs and the left side of his chest. He was also cursing up a storm, turning from one creature to the next, never quite having enough time to finish one off. </p>
<p>So far, neither side was making any significant progress.</p>
<p>“Need some help there?” Eskel yelled across the small river, not even bothering to hide the laughter in his voice.</p>
<p>Geralt’s howl of annoyance and frustration was enough to make Eskel cackle even louder.</p>
<p>“This was, ah! So. Much. Fucking. <i>Easier</i>. A few months ago,” Geralt growled out between swings. </p>
<p>“Oh but Geralt, there are <i>three</i> of them! That’s <i>so many</i> for a single witcher!” Eskel grinned so hard that it hurt and the scars on the right side of his face tugged unpleasantly. He sheathed his steel sword, not even bothering to pull his silver one instead. Worse came to worst, he could always cast Axii on a couple of them, distract them while Geralt was fighting. He had enough range on his signs that he could do that from across the river. </p>
<p>He didn’t want to though. This was good practice, and as safe as could be with Eskel there. Better for Geralt to get the fighting experience now and be better prepared for later than to take the easy way out and fall during a harder fight up the road. Hell, Eskel even had extra Swallow potions if Geralt was injured and had none, though that was unlikely. No doubt Geralt would make sure he was very prepared, given how comparatively weak he was right now. </p>
<p>Eskel looked back at his mount. The horse stood primly on the last firm patch of grass, not venturing into the mud on the riverbank a single step.</p>
<p>“You got anything against crossing the river?” he asked and clicked his tongue to call her closer.</p>
<p>Scorpion put her leg forward and the hoof promptly sank into the mud. The horse backed up and neighed at him obstinately.</p>
<p>“Oh for…” He squelched up to where Scorpion was still on the grass and mounted with a quick jump. He nudged her forward harder than usual. The horse made another grumpy sound but she did move, through the mud and into the quickly flowing but thankfully shallow river.</p>
<p>Mindful of the drowners, Eskel steered Scorpion a little ways away from where Geralt was fighting. His horse was used to the uncanny, but there was no sense in tempting fate and giving the beast a spook. Likewise, once he got to the other side, he stayed mounted. Easier to keep his mount under control that way, with both reins and heels to guide her. If by chance another swarm of drowners showed up -- as they sometimes were wont to do along riverways like this -- he could take care of them away from Geralt’s group, and keep Geralt from getting overwhelmed. </p>
<p>He leaned forward, rested one arm on the pommel of his saddle, and watched Geralt fight. </p>
<p>While Eskel and Scorpion had been crossing, Geralt had managed to behead one of the three drowners. With the numbers whittled down, the last two were giving him less trouble. He cast Aard, knocking one down long enough to get a killing blow in. The last drowner kept up its run-away tactics, leading Geralt around on a highly amusing game of tag. Everytime Geralt got close enough for a good swing, the drowner just retreated, dragging Geralt all through the shallow river.</p>
<p>“Oh, fuck this,” Geralt finally said, and loaded up his small one handed crossbow. </p>
<p>The last drowner seemed to realize that Geralt wasn’t following, and it turned towards Geralt, going for a quick slash with its claws. Gods, but those things were ugly. They looked like some unholy mix of a human corpse and a deep sea fish, and smelled worse than both mixed in together. Eskel was glad to keep his distance. From the distasteful snort from Scorpion, the horse was glad too.</p>
<p>Geralt ended up shooting the last drowner in the face point blank. As soon as the bolt hit home, the drowner's head exploded, splattering Geralt with blood and viscera. </p>
<p>“Mother<i>fucker</i>,” Geralt snarled, and wiped his face in disgust. </p>
<p>Eskel raised his hands from the pommel and slowly clapped.</p>
<p>“The White Wolf triumphs again,” he said drolly. “I’m in awe of your fighting prowess.” He clicked his tongue and nudged Scorpion closer, keeping to the bank of the river. “It’s no wonder there are so many songs about you.”</p>
<p>He could tell that Geralt wasn’t truly pissed off at him, despite the teasing. He was just frustrated from his current difficulties. </p>
<p>Geralt tossed him a rude gesture, rolled his eyes, and got to work stripping his quarry of their useful body parts. Tongues, brains, some blood. A bit of hide off of one. All enough to be proof of death for the villagers that hired him, but also all useful for making more potions. </p>
<p>Waste not, want not.</p>
<p>Geralt had lost all of his supplies when he was attacked by the Order of the Flaming Rose all those weeks ago, Eskel realized. Every single potion ingredient, every mutagen and rare liquid they all carried around. The contents of their potion pouches were often more valuable than all of their other possessions added up together. </p>
<p>Granted, Geralt had his own herb garden in Dracula’s castle now, one so elaborate and complete that he was likely well equipped for the Path. But he’d lost all of the other precious ingredients. All of his high potency liquors and extra stock of White Gull. All of the body parts and mineral powders. He’d have a lot to restock.</p>
<p>“I almost forgot how much it sucks to recover from serious injury,” Geralt said grumpily as he walked back to shore.</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Eskel nodded sympathetically. “You’re doing alright though, looks like.” As clearly annoying as the fight was, Geralt didn’t look like he’d taken more than minor damage.</p>
<p>Geralt whistled, and his horse, Roach, wandered up from out of the tree line. Every horse Geralt had ever owned, he called Roach. Easier to keep track that way; Eskel himself favored the name Scorpion. This version of Roach was new, only a couple months in Geralt’s possession. The last one died when Geralt was nearly killed by the Order.</p>
<p>Geralt secured his trophies onto the saddle, wiped off his blade, and mounted up. Then he turned to look at Eskel.</p>
<p>“What brings you here?” Geralt asked. His gaze wandered down Eskel’s body, probably checking for injuries, and lighted on the bit of a bruise on Eskel’s neck peeking out of his collar. “Oh-ho, really?” he said with a smile and a raised eyebrow. “Dracula finally have a little fun with you?”</p>
<p>A little bit of heat stung at Eskel’s cheeks and he shrugged. “A little,” he admitted. Pleasure and disquiet rose up in him again at the thought of it. </p>
<p>Before he could get sucked into brooding about it, Eskel shrugged again. “Just a little. Which is part of the reason I’m here.” He pinned Geralt with a stare and raised an eyebrow.</p>
<p>Geralt looked at him, eyebrows raised. </p>
<p>“You’ve never given Dracula any flowers,” Eskel said flatly. He nudged Scorpion a little closer.</p>
<p>“What? No.” Geralt’s mouth twisted into a frown.</p>
<p>“The man saved your life, gave you plenty of gifts, and you didn’t even give him flowers?” Eskel was close enough Scorpion was almost touching Roach.</p>
<p>“I have <i>so</i> given him flowers.” Geralt looked offended. Too bad the effect was ruined by how covered in dirt, blood, and mud he was. </p>
<p>“I asked him point blank if you gave him flowers and he said he hadn’t gotten any.” And they both knew how Dracula didn’t lie. Eskel scowled. “You give flowers to everyone. How did you manage to skip your lovers?”</p>
<p>“I bring him flowers every couple of months.” Geralt frowned harder. “He doesn’t seem to care for them, though, so I’ve been looking for other things to gift him with. I bring him scented oils, too.”</p>
<p>“Did you give them <i>to him</i>, or did you just bring them and set them somewhere in his room?” Then Eskel froze when he remembered that Geralt mostly lived in <i>his own</i> room in Kaer Morhen. “Or did you put them somewhere in <i>your own</i> room?”</p>
<p>Geralt froze. </p>
<p>He opened his mouth, then he shut it again and tightened his hands into fists on Roach’s reins. </p>
<p>“Shit, shit, shit, shit, <i>shit</i>,” Geralt moaned under his breath.</p>
<p>Eskel just hid his face in his hand and groaned. “Geralt, really?”</p>
<p>“What?! I thought it was obvious!” Geralt looked about two seconds from panicking, and Eskel did not totally blame him.</p>
<p>Well. Maybe he blamed him a little. Because, <i>really</i>.</p>
<p>Eskel sighed and shook his head. “Come on.” He nodded forward. “Let’s go turn in your bounty. Then I’ve got an idea, something that might dig you out of the hole you’ve buried yourself in.” Now that they were close enough, Eskel got a good strong whiff of the drowner blood that Geralt’s gear was splattered with. “We might stop for a bath somewhere, too.”</p>
<p>“Oh, fuck you,” Geralt grumbled with a wry smile and a dry look, as he reined in Roach to walk beside Scorpion. “You smell like blood too when you’re out on the Path.”</p>
<p>That was very true. But that didn’t mean that Eskel wouldn’t tease Geralt a little for it.</p>
<p>Just a little.</p>
<p>“Uh huh,” Eskel said dryly, side eyeing Geralt. “I, at least, try not get splattered like this.” Eskel pointed the drowner brains still stuck in bits and pieces over Geralt’s armor. Brand new armor, too, courtesy of Dracula.</p>
<p>Geralt just sighed.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>By evening time, Geralt had gotten paid with remarkably little trouble, and they’d headed back out to camp near a stream where Geralt could get washed up. They would have stayed at the inn there, but it didn’t boast anything as fine as a bathhouse. Just a bucket of hot water and a cloth, and they could do that easily themselves with a campfire. Not to mention there was a little more privacy out in the woods. </p>
<p>Word had spread even up here of the witchers' connection to the suddenly-appearing demon city in the south. Kaedwen had sent word far and wide that witchers were to be allowed to work and take bounties as they liked, and it looked like Narok, Kovir, and Poviss had adopted that policy as well.</p>
<p>While that meant regular and safer work for the witchers, it also meant that many more eyes were upon them wherever they went. Neither Eskel nor Geralt were naive enough to think all of those eyes were friendly. Just because the <i>government</i> couldn’t run witchers out of a town didn’t mean that the locals couldn’t take matters into their own hands. Or, worse, a covert agent from some ambitious leader could catch up with them as well.</p>
<p>Better to take their coin and go find some peace in the nearby forest. These lands were mostly quiet, and with two witchers to take shifts on guard, that made a wild camp that much safer.</p>
<p>So while Geralt cleaned himself and his gear up in the nearby stream, Eskel built up the fire and cooked them up some fresh rabbit. They hunted monsters and beasts all the time; it was child’s play to pick up a bit of fresh game while they were on their way out of town.</p>
<p>If this gave Eskel the opportunity to build the fire up a little larger than they strictly needed, well, that was just coincidence. </p>
<p>“Are you all pretty now?” he asked when Geralt came back to the camp, wet and cold and looking extremely grumpy.</p>
<p>“I’m always pretty,” Geralt sassed back. “But I’m also hungry. Food ready yet?”</p>
<p>Eskel sighed.</p>
<p>“I hoped Dracula’s magic would have fixed your eyesight,” Eskel shook his head, “How you get women to fawn over you with such an ugly mug, I will never know.”</p>
<p>To that Geralt just smirked lewdly. “I’m sure Dracula and Alucard can tell you.”</p>
<p>“Uggg.” Eskel rolled his eyes and handed Geralt a wooden spit with a rabbit quarter on it. “I hear enough of that already, thanks.”</p>
<p>It was possible that Eskel was laying the teasing on a little thick. </p>
<p>Truthfully, that had almost nothing to do with Geralt and his current situation. At this point, Eskel had had several days alone on the road to brood over his latest encounter with Dracula. It had felt <i>amazing</i>. Which was nice. It was also <i>incredibly unsettling</i>, now that he’d had a chance to really think about what had happened. </p>
<p>Geralt snickered at him, seemingly oblivious to Eskel’s sharp mood, and tore into the piping hot meat with relish. He was still a little underweight, as far as Eskel could see. Good thing he’d killed a couple more rabbits than he usually would have. </p>
<p>Eskel himself felt fairly ravenous, but that wasn’t anything new. Witchers ate a lot usually; it was part of the enhanced metabolism. But this level of hunger was different. It was something that had shown up with the endless chill, another side effect of his bond with Alucard.</p>
<p>As far as Eskel could tell, it wasn’t actually <i>his</i> hunger, though. Just like the cold that never went away no matter how large the fire, no matter how many layers he put on. It was always there. So, too, was the hunger. </p>
<p>Alucard liked to starve himself. He’d done so for many centuries. He was powerful enough that starvation alone would never kill him, so he’d learned to ignore it. That was why Alucard was always cold. </p>
<p>Eskel thought that he might be feeling echoes of that, even through all the mental blocks that they’d both thrown up. It would make sense, after all. They’d felt echoes of other sensations and emotions from each other in the past, especially when they were close. While blocking the bond had gotten rid of most of that, it clearly hadn’t gotten rid of the sensation of cold. </p>
<p>What this actually meant was that eating more wouldn’t actually help. The hunger would never go away. It was just another thing he’d have to get used to. Just as Alucard had gotten used to it.</p>
<p>So he’d resigned himself to trying only to eat what he thought he <i>should</i> be eating. How much did he normally eat, anyways? He’d never really paid attention. There was only ‘hungry’ and ‘not hungry’, with a side of ‘hungry now, but need to save rations for later’. </p>
<p>Even though he was trying to eat only as much as he thought he <i>should</i>, he couldn’t help but gather a little extra food on reflex. It just happened to work out that Geralt needed it right now. </p>
<p>That was a useful excuse, too, if Geralt asked about it. Eskel didn’t want to worry him. There was nothing any of them could do about it anyways.</p>
<p>“This is good,” Geralt said, mouth full of meat. “What’d you put on it?”</p>
<p>“Wild onion. I had some saved up,” Eskel said, nodding towards his pack. “Salt. Some lemongrass.”</p>
<p>“I’m so hungry all the time now,” Geralt said between bites. “It’s getting ridiculous.”</p>
<p>Eskel just nodded. He could sympathize. </p>
<p>“It’ll pass,” he said. “You’ll be up to fighting weight again soon.”</p>
<p>“I hope,” Geralt said. He paused to polish off the rest of his meat. “Right now it feels like all the work I’m doing is only to feed me, with nothing left over.” </p>
<p>“At least we’ve got Kaer Morhen to stay at for the winter. No need to worry about keeping fed then,” Eskel said, and handed Geralt another skewer of meat. “I’ve got enough gold saved away to help with supplies for the season.” He shrugged. “Assuming Dracula or Orlaith doesn’t just fill the larder as a matter of course.”</p>
<p>Geralt paused with the meat halfway to his mouth.</p>
<p>“On the one hand, it’s damn useful for Orlaith to just take care of the larder.” Geralt bit into the meat.</p>
<p>“But?” Eskel prompted when Geralt didn’t continue.</p>
<p>“I’m a little bit worried just <i>what</i> beast the meat comes from, you know?”</p>
<p>Eskel nodded, his eyes a little wide. “Right. Although, we’ve both eaten at the castle proper by now, so it’s a little late to be really concerned about that, isn’t it?”</p>
<p>“Kinda hard to believe that somewhere in the lava pits there’s a chicken coop or a few cows grazing.” Geralt shook his head and took another bite of rabbit.</p>
<p>“Still,” Eskel said a little faintly. “I wouldn’t want to learn I ate somebody I actually talked to a day before you know?”</p>
<p>Geralt paused. Opened his mouth and closed it, before opening it again.</p>
<p>“I want to say that Orlaith wouldn’t.. but…”</p>
<p>“She absolutely would.” Eskel sighed as he considered the utter pragmatism of the Steward and her rather vague grasp on human sensibilities.</p>
<p>They chewed in silence for a moment.</p>
<p>“Do we tell Vesemir?” Geralt asked eventually.</p>
<p>“He’s probably already thought about it.” Eskel shrugged. Vesemir was thorough like that. </p>
<p>It was interesting how closely Vesemir stuck near Kaer Morhen now. Eskel knew he still took the odd contract here and there, but for the most part it looked like the old witcher had settled in to tending the keep. Or, perhaps, stuck around to train the odd traveler. </p>
<p>Word had started to spread from witcher to witcher that Kaer Morhen was a safe place for them. Orlaith had set up their private entrance so that the guards there would admit witchers of any school, and the path was marked in ways that only witchers with their enhanced senses would see. </p>
<p>So far they’d only had a couple of visitors, one of which was Letho. Why he’d returned for a spell, Eskel wasn’t sure. Maybe it was to train up with Vesemir. Having a skilled weapons master available for tutoring was a real boon, and Vesemir was incredibly good at what he did despite, or perhaps because, of his age. Not that he was decrepit by any means. He still looked to be in his fifties, maybe. But in truth he was centuries old, older than any other witcher Eskel had ever met. Geralt and Eskel both were within a couple years of their first century, and they were older than many. Eskel knew damn well that they both had more skill than most as well, and Vesemir had had at least three times that in experience. </p>
<p>It boggled the mind a little. </p>
<p>“Yeah, that’s true. He takes his duty seriously.” Geralt nodded. He finished off another rabbit quarter and reached for more. “So you said you had an idea for a proper gift?”</p>
<p>Eskel side-eyed Geralt knowingly and nibbled on a bone. The meat was decent, but hunger made him suck every last bit of flavor off of it. </p>
<p>“I do.” He tossed the bone into the fire and debated on if he should eat a little more. Gods, but it was tempting. He wasn’t sure he wanted to deal with the frustration of endlessly eating and never feeling full. He’d heard of curses like that, though he’d never seen one in action. As a witcher, he already ate an enormous quantity of food compared to a regular human; the joys of an enhanced metabolism. What amounted to a curse of endless hunger on top of that would be beyond unmanageable, if he didn’t control himself.</p>
<p>Eskel shook his head, casting off the gloomy thoughts, and said, “I picked up a map a while back. Didn’t really have the time to look at it, and there weren’t any active bounties in the area so it kinda got pushed to the side.”</p>
<p>Geralt nodded. No doubt the same thing had happened to him. Witchers were always on the lookout for more work, more monsters to kill, so whenever word of any kind of disturbance was found, they tended to hoard it away as if it were gold. During a dry spell they might look into it. Even if there weren’t contracts up for a particular beastie, sometimes monsters had their own stash of valuables; leftovers collected from the bodies of their victims. </p>
<p>“What’s it lead to?”</p>
<p>“As far as I can tell, some batshit crazy mage’s garden.” Eskel wiggled his eyebrows a bit, and Geralt perked up a little.</p>
<p>“Garden, huh. Could be some good stuff there.” Geralt stared into the fire, but his gaze was far away. Probably thinking of everything that they might find, monsters and treasure alike. </p>
<p>“Yup. Map’s not great, but it’s a lead.” Eskel wiped his hands and turned to dig around in his pack. After a moment of fishing, he pulled out a folded bit of parchment. Actual parchment, too, as in carefully tanned hide rather than some wood pulp facsimile. The quality of the item attested to its authenticity. The ink on it was interesting, as well. It had a very faint plant smell that Eskel wasn’t familiar with.</p>
<p>“Where’d you get it?” Geralt asked as he peered at the paper curiously.</p>
<p>“Found it in another mage’s tower. I guess they were friends?” Eskel shrugged and handed it over for Geralt to look at.</p>
<p>That whole escapade had been more than mildly frustrating. The mage in question was a rat bastard who kept sending his favorite pets out to munch on the locals. The locals got fed up enough that they’d hired Eskel. With time to prepare and forearmed with some reliable information, Eskel was able to kill off most of the Mage’s menagerie without difficulty. The mage himself was a bit of a coward, so Eskel had a merry chase around the building hunting the bastard down. He’d ended up looting the whole damn place out of spite afterwards. Got some nice goodies out of it in the end. Gems, a few rare herbs, some weapons.</p>
<p>And this correspondence with a map.</p>
<p>“Read the letter,” Eskel urged. It was written on the back of the map. Or maybe the map was drawn on the back of the letter. </p>
<p>The whole thing was pretentious as fuck. Clearly some snide rival of the mage that Eskel had killed. Friendly enemies, as it were. The owner of the garden had invited the mage that Eskel killed out to see the glory of his manor, clearly in an effort to show off.</p>
<p>That seemed to line up with everything Eskel knew about mages. Spellcasters in general, actually. Pompous bastards. </p>
<p>Funny, but Alucard never struck him like that, even though it was obvious that he was a powerful caster. Maybe it was because his skills were focused on combat magics, like witchers. Although witchers could hardly be called <i>spellcasters</i>, with how limited their abilities were. </p>
<p>Though Alucard did have a sense of the dramatic. He just tended to be overshadowed by Dracula, who was the most gods-be-damned dramatic bastard that Eskel had <i>ever seen</i>. </p>
<p>Geralt scanned through the letter quickly, and flipped it over to look at the map. His face was drawn in with concentration.</p>
<p>“Huh,” he said, and traced some of the lines on the map. “This isn’t… <i>terribly</i> far away. Place is likely to be occupied, though. Being a dick isn’t really enough to merit an execution by witcher.”</p>
<p>Eskel shook his head. “Last I heard, that whole area has been deserted. Look here.” He pointed to the edge of the map. It showed a few smaller towns, right on the edges of the Blue Mountains, north of Kaer Morhen and east of where they were currently. “I did some bounties there a couple years ago. Some landslides took out a bunch of this hillside. There were rumors of other critters moving in. Nothing with a contract on it, and I was mostly done for the season by that time anyways, so I didn’t bother. There’s a good chance that the mage moved out. Casters like that don’t like to have trolls as neighbors.”</p>
<p>Geralt hummed at him, but kept looking at the map.</p>
<p>“So what you are suggesting is a spot of good, old fashioned burglary?”</p>
<p>“It’s not stealing if the place is abandoned.” Eskel smirked. “Besides, if someone is there, we can just see if they have any work for us in trade for some cuttings from their garden. There’s bound to be something worthwhile there.”</p>
<p>Geralt tilted his head and shrugged in a way that said <i>fair enough</i>. “Let’s check it out. Worst case, we can pick up some stuff along the way.”</p>
<p>“That’s what I was thinking.” Eskel looked at the last couple of skewers of rabbit. The ache in his gut was like a never ending pit of hunger. But he’d been starved before, and this wasn’t the same. It wasn’t pleasant, but it was tolerable.</p>
<p>That didn’t stop his mouth from watering at the sight of the roasting meat.</p>
<p>He ripped off one more leg for himself, and then passed the rest of the skewer to Geralt. Another bite or two wouldn’t hurt anything, even if it wouldn’t be more than a drop in the bucket for Eskel. </p>
<p>“You still hungry?” Geralt asked, frowning at the skewer he was holding. He shifted it towards Eskel. “Go ahead, I’m just stuffing myself now.”</p>
<p>Eskel shook his head and forced himself to nibble slowly on the leg he’d ripped off. “I’ve eaten plenty already. You still look skinny as a rail.”</p>
<p>“Ahhh not you, too,” Geralt groaned. “Dracula keeps counting my ribs. Out loud. Every time I take my shirt off. And then he and Alucard discuss how many ribs they can see and all I can think of is that they want to cook me over the fire instead of fuck.”</p>
<p>“Alucard is one to talk about eating more.” Eskel shook his head and huffed in amusement. Dracula, Geralt, and Eskel had all been trying to gently nudge Alucard into not starving himself, with varying degrees of tact and acceptance. “I’m sure they want to eat you whole, though.” He leered at Geralt, and held back a snicker.</p>
<p>Geralt got a far off, salacious look for a moment, and then Eskel did laugh. Geralt was well suited to Dracula; both of them were insatiable. </p>
<p>“I’m not the only one they want to eat,” Geralt said slyly, eyeing the bruise on Eskel’s neck.</p>
<p>“You don’t know the half of it,” Eskel muttered quietly to himself, thinking about the sheer number of bites that Dracula had left on him. There were so many. Both sides of his neck, all across his chest and shoulders, down his torso, and down the inside of one leg. Thinking about those last ones in particular made Eskel’s face burn and something flutter in his stomach. </p>
<p>The morning after that whole encounter, Eskel had lounged in Dracula’s bed, cuddled up with blankets, eating and sleeping off the aftereffects of all they’d done. Dracula had been ridiculously pleased, smug even, over every one of the marks he’d left. </p>
<p>He was even more pleased when one of the succubi had dropped off Eskel’s breakfast and gotten an eyeful of the bites all down Eskel’s chest. If there was anything Eskel knew, it was that the succubi and incubi all loved to gossip. Which meant that now they would <i>all</i> know that Eskel was naked in Dracula’s bed, covered in bite marks. </p>
<p>The only consolation was that Eskel knew the sex demons would all be very supportive. Interested, yes, and more than a bit lascivious with their future questions, but they would be the last ones to give him shit for activities done in bed. </p>
<p>What happened when the rest of the wolf witchers and their little family found out, Eskel wasn’t sure he wanted to know. He’d probably never hear the end of all the teasing. </p>
<p>“Do tell,” Geralt said.</p>
<p>“No.”</p>
<p>“Awww come on! You know all the details about what I do with them.” Geralt leaned in and nudged Eskel with one elbow.</p>
<p>“You say that like I wanted to know!” Eskel glared at him. “I can’t help it if you all want to overshare.”</p>
<p>“You like it,” Geralt said confidently.</p>
<p>Eskel just pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. </p>
<p>Although. Maybe this wasn’t a bad thing. He was feeling pretty out of sorts about what happened with Dracula. And maybe getting some advice was part of the reason Eskel had wanted to meet up with Geralt. Or perhaps just having a friendly face to spend time with was part of it. </p>
<p>He still wasn’t sure he wanted to actually talk about what happened. It seemed… embarrassing. Not because of the sex part, but because of Eskel’s own lack of control. </p>
<p>He looked sideways at Geralt, and considered what to say, if anything. </p>
<p>“Is he always so... “ Eskel started and then stopped. He cleared his throat and started again. “So… in charge?”</p>
<p>Geralt looked at him for a long moment.</p>
<p>“He likes to control what’s going on yeah,” Geralt said slowly, “but since it can’t be the first time you got a lover with that kind of mindset, I think there must be something you are not telling me.”</p>
<p>Eskel looked down at the ground. On reflex he kept his emotions out of his facial features. Then he remembered that this was Geralt he was talking to. His friend. His brother. Eskel didn’t need to be quite so guarded. He allowed his body to shift nervously, and almost absently flexed his fingers, for a moment imagining that his claws were still there.</p>
<p>“This was different,” Eskel said finally. He clenched his jaw tight and utterly failed to find the right words to express the depth of how different the experience was, how unsettled it left him. “I’m not sure how to deal with it. Or…” he grimaced. “If I should.”</p>
<p>Gods, but being with Dracula had been pleasurable beyond what Eskel had ever expected. But the thought of losing that much control on a regular basis set a flutter of fear in Eskel’s gut. Witchers weren’t made to be trusting, and the loss of control that Dracula inspired was terrifying.</p>
<p>Geralt bit into the last bit of his meat and chewed it in an obvious attempt to give himself time.</p>
<p>“How old are you by now, Eskel?” Geralt asked unexpectedly. “Approximately, of course,” he added after a second, since none of them knew their exact date of birth.</p>
<p>“Same age as you,” Eskel said, side eyeing Geralt suspiciously. The question was reminiscent of some of the conversations they’d had after Geralt had come back to them from the dead, with his brain fragmented to pieces by amnesia. They’d tried to fill him in on whatever details they could, if he wanted, but it had been pretty hit or miss for a long time if Geralt remembered anything at all. “I think we’re both about a hundred. Give or take a year or two.”</p>
<p>“In all those years, how many times have you been disappointed in a relationship?”</p>
<p>Eskel frowned at him, and sat to think about it. “Relationship. You mean a long term lover?”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>“Geralt.” Eskel had to pause to shake his head, just to stop himself from swearing. “Between the two of us, you’re the only one who thought serious relationships were even possible. No one has ever had interest in me long term.”</p>
<p>“Haven’t you been tempted? Haven’t you had a fling and thought ‘what if’?” Geralt looked at him seriously. “Not once? Tell me the truth, deep down, haven’t you ever opened yourself to the possibility?”</p>
<p>Eskel’s heart hurt, like an actual physical pain in his chest. He leaned in and put an arm on Geralt’s shoulder, and turned his head to speak softly in Geralt’s ear. “That’s one lesson you never learned, brother. Hope only leads to disappointment. I know what I can’t have, so it’s not worth bringing on more pain imagining it.”</p>
<p>“That’s rhetoric, not your actual experience.” He put a hand on Eskel’s shoulder and shifted so that they could look each other in the eyes. “I’m asking you. I’m asking you to be honest with yourself, if not with me. To be disappointed, to lose hope, one generally has to first experience the pain of it being crushed. I never minded the pain, I was willing to suffer it over and over again because I believed the reward was worth it.” Geralt looked searchingly at him. “If nothing you tried so far has been worth it,” he said gently, “maybe something you haven’t tried <i>is</i>.”</p>
<p>Eskel shook his head. “You don’t understand. You’re the only damn witcher I’ve known who thought that they could walk the Path <i>and</i> love. Most of us aren’t even capable of feeling the emotion.”</p>
<p>Before Geralt could object, Eskel blundered on. “And it’s not just that. Geralt, tell me. If you knew, knew for a solid fact, that when you made your bond with Dracula, you would never, <i>ever</i> be able to say no to him, would you still have done it? And I don’t mean, you just can’t say it. I mean, it would have never even occurred to you. <i>Anything</i> he wanted, you’d willingly, gleefully follow along to. Would you still have done it?”</p>
<p>Geralt went still next to him. His eyebrows drew in and his gaze grew troubled. “What do you mean? Yeah, he is pushy and really likes to get his own way, but he also likes the fight. I think it actually thrills him when he hears no.”</p>
<p>That made Eskel slump his shoulders in despair. That was <i>nothing</i> like how Dracula was with him. That was so damn different he didn’t even know how to say it in a way that didn’t make him sound utterly broken. What kind of person, what kind of witcher just gives in like that?</p>
<p>“Does he… force you?” Geralt asked, his face turning paler than usual. “Does he take away your ability to refuse?”</p>
<p>Gods, how even to answer <i>that</i>. The bare truth of it was both yes and no. Eskel hung his head as he thought about it. If he answered one way, it made Dracula look like a monster. If he answered the other, it showed how messed up he himself was. Misery cramped in his stomach as he tried to think of what to say.</p>
<p>After a moment, Eskel shook his head. “He doesn’t… he doesn’t force me. At first, he sort of did, with the biting and how fucking good that feels. And he listened when I set boundaries, even if he does push his luck like crazy. But when he...” Eskel licked his lips, and pulled away from Geralt, holding his hands in his lap. “It’s hard for me to say no to him. And when we were… when we, you know, this past week... I. Couldn’t. Say no. To anything. Wouldn’t have wanted to. For anything.”</p>
<p>Shame burned through him, and he ducked his head away from catching any sight of what Geralt’s reaction was. </p>
<p>“I told him what I wanted and didn’t want, beforehand,” Eskel mumbled. It felt like his face was on fire from how embarrassed he was. “And he kept to it. Thank the fucking gods he did, because once we got started, <i>I didn’t want to</i>. He could have asked me for <i>anything</i> and I would have done it. Fuck, it’s--”</p>
<p>He couldn’t go on. He felt like a failure. Letting a <i>fucking chaos god</i> have free rein over his will seemed like the stupidest idea ever. </p>
<p>Even if Dracula had always treated him with care. Even if his heart felt like it was being squeezed tight every time Dracula looked at him with that soft look that seemed reserved just for him.</p>
<p>“Oh.” Geralt’s reply was soft. There was some low rustling as he shifted around. </p>
<p>Eskel hazarded a brief look over to Geralt. He didn’t think that his brother, his oldest friend, would mock him for this, but he couldn’t help but be anxious.</p>
<p>“You know...” Geralt scratched his hand through his hair. The white was very visible in the dark of the falling dusk. “We haven’t had a choice about most of the things that happened to us in our life. Doesn’t mean we couldn’t make the best of it anyway.” He shrugged. “If he’s not forcing you, then it means at least some part of you enjoys what’s happening.” Geralt risked a glance up at Eskel and then turned his eyes back to the fire. “Do you? Enjoy it, I mean.”</p>
<p>“Way more than I fucking should,” Eskel said with a soft shudder. For a moment, he felt the ghostly sense memory of Dracula’s breath on his neck.</p>
<p>“That’s a good thing, then.” Geralt sounded a little lost, and his expression was entreating. “We couldn’t choose what we became, we couldn’t choose the life we lead and what comes out of it, but we can choose what we like.”</p>
<p>“Not really,” Eskel said dully. “Not like I <i>want</i> to turn into a brainless idiot. I can’t even keep my fucking head straight enough to tell him to stop if he goes too far, and that’s on <i>me</i>, not him.”</p>
<p>“You’re not a brainless idiot.” Geralt looked at him sharply, then he smirked. “I mean, sometimes you are, but not with this.” He took a breath. “Just make sure you tell him beforehand what you want and what you’re really sure you’re willing to do. Dracula will keep to that, and everything will be good.” He shrugged. “Nothing to be upset about. As long as you both enjoy it, where’s the problem?”</p>
<p>Eskel looked at him and nibbled on his lower lip. Some of the tension eased inside of him. Some. </p>
<p>Fuck, but it helped that Geralt didn’t seem to think that Eskel had anything to be ashamed of. Not that Eskel expected him to… but still. He appreciated the support. And some part of him was sure that if Geralt thought that Dracula was truly doing something to hurt Eskel, then Geralt would take that up with Dracula directly. <i>Expeditiously</i>.</p>
<p>He took a deep breath and let some of his tension flow out with the exhale. </p>
<p>“You’re pretty nonchalant about this,” he said finally.  </p>
<p>“Ultimately, it comes down to a simple choice. You can always refuse to conform to Dracula’s desires. Between me and Alucard, we are probably enough to make Dracula keep his distance,” Geralt said, confirming Eskel’s assumption. Fuck, that assurance alone was enough to bring down Eskel’s anxiety by another notch. “Alucard would probably murder Dracula if he thought he was hurting you.” Geralt looked him in the eye then, firm and ridiculously brave. “So it comes down to a choice: Do you want this? Is your life better with or without him?” Geralt smiled and pressed his hand against his chest. “I knew having even the briefest connection to them would make my life better, so I grabbed it with both hands and accepted the bond. The details never mattered for me.”</p>
<p>That viewpoint was so utterly and completely <i>Geralt</i> that Eskel almost wanted to laugh. </p>
<p>But it made a lot of sense, too.</p>
<p>Maybe he hadn’t really been open to something new, because he thought it wasn’t possible. Maybe whatever they did together would work out. Dracula had only ever shown him a rough kind of care and concern; he was certainly far more gentle than anyone, Dracula himself included, had led Eskel to believe. </p>
<p>Eskel stared into the fire and mulled it all over in his head.</p>
<p>“I have seen this kind of play you know,” Geralt said after a while, his voice quiet. “It never used to be my preferred choice, but I find it easy to go on my knees for Dracula. Or even Alucard, for that matter. It’s still just play for me. I think...” He paused and licked his lips. “I think you should talk to Alucard. The way he gets with Dracula sometimes, like he lives to fulfill his desires… he goes almost wordless. He doesn’t express his own will if Dracula pushes him hard enough.” Geralt was blushing slightly. Clearly from remembered desire, rather than embarrassment. His scent became thicker, muskier. It made Eskel wrinkled his nose. “I think your experiences are closer to Alucard’s than to mine.” Geralt paused again to glance as Eskel out of the corner of his eye. “I haven’t ever seen Alucard ashamed or bothered by his tendency to give in to Dracula, or to me.”</p>
<p>It was true. Eskel hadn’t picked that up from Alucard at all. In fact, when Alucard had shared some memories of those instances, all he could sense was pleasure.</p>
<p>On the other hand, Alucard also didn’t have a whole little family of people ready to heckle the shit out of him for whatever he wanted to do in bed. So there was that. </p>
<p>Maybe he wasn’t giving his friends enough credit. They’d teased him a little for his potential relationship with Dracula and Alucard, but they hadn’t taken it beyond that. </p>
<p>Eskel shook his head. This whole mess was confusing and uncomfortable.</p>
<p>“Alucard would actually have to be around for me to talk to him,” Eskel said with a grumpy twist to his lips. “I haven’t seen him in weeks.”</p>
<p>The chill across his skin and the hunger in his gut reminded him of that fact every second of every day.</p>
<p>Geralt gave out a suspicious humm. “Before he took off, we’d decided that summer would be our working season. I’d head out on the Path. He’d wrap stuff up in Castlevania. Then he’d come back for winter. I’d <i>thought</i> that he’d still visit, but…”</p>
<p>“Apparently not,” Eskel finished for him. </p>
<p>It made sense that Alucard would talk that sort of thing over with Geralt. They were the ones in a real relationship, after all. And Alucard probably wanted this bond that he and Eskel accidentally formed to weaken as much as possible. Eskel had no right to feel left out.</p>
<p>“Besides,” Geralt said idly. “I doubt anybody ever will get a say in what you and Dracula do in the bedroom.”</p>
<p>“Why?” Eskel blurted, not truly thinking about his response. His mind was still on Alucard.</p>
<p>“Imagine anybody actually having the balls to risk pissing that particular vampire off.”</p>
<p>The mental image of that made Eskel laugh. “No one would say anything to <i>him</i>.” That was followed by the unspoken, <i>but I’d hear it</i>. </p>
<p>“I doubt they would get a chance to say anything to you, either. Well, not twice, anyways. After the first one got gruesomely and publicly murdered I doubt anybody else would dare.” Geralt gave Eskel a knowing smirk that was almost, <i>almost</i>, a leer.</p>
<p>That was a comforting thought. </p>
<p>Eskel grabbed a stick and poked at the fire restively. Little fears bubbled up in his mind. Thank the fucking gods that Geralt was there to listen to him purge them.</p>
<p>“What if he likes it, though?” Eskel said quietly. “He likes when people see his marks on me.” He waved a finger at his neck. </p>
<p>Geralt laughed.</p>
<p>“He likes a well behaved and utterly obedient audience, yes. Or haven’t you noticed that free will is not something that exists in the Castle?”</p>
<p>Eskel had noticed. Honestly, it didn’t bother him much. He knew damn well what a menace all those demons would be without Dracula’s will imposed on them. It also helped that most of the demons that were sentient -- at least the ones that Eskel had encountered -- seemed quite happy with their lot in life. The succubi certainly seemed to be.</p>
<p>He still snorted in not-quite-amusement. “It’s not the damn demons I’m worried about, Geralt. It’s the rest of you loons. I already get shit for the bite marks.”</p>
<p>Geralt smirked at him. “Well, Vesemir sleeps with a woman that has a fifty percent chance of being an animal when he wakes up. He also, apparently, is essential in choosing which nail polish looks best on which sex demon. His room has more frilly laces and cosmetics inside it than any sorceress’ bedroom that I have ever known. Lambert is actually <i>nicer</i> now, and makes sure to bring back souvenirs for all the sex demons when he’s been out on a hunt. In a few months, he might start saying please and thank you at meal times at the rate the succubi are teaching him manners. Anyone else who visits, it’s none of their business.” Geralt stretched out his arms and yawned. “As far as I see it, if anybody gives you shit about liking to kneel for Dracula, they open themselves out to a whole lot of shit coming their way.” He yawned again. “And if Dracula gets unhappy in any way, I can promise you, there would be no more succubi available. They live and breathe to make him happy, after all.”</p>
<p>A little more stress left Eskel’s body, and he had to laugh, even if the thought of being on his knees for Dracula made him blush a tiny bit. Geralt had a pretty good handle on what everyone was up to and he knew exactly what to poke at and where. He was always better at social niceties than Eskel.</p>
<p>After a moment of thought, Eskel nodded.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” he said. </p>
<p>For listening. For the advice. For the acceptance. It was a lot to think on, but as Eskel had hoped, Geralt had been able to set some of his worries at ease. It was damn difficult to talk about it, any of it, but Eskel was glad now that he had. </p>
<p>He quirked a smile at Geralt. “I’m not sure how things will go, but… thanks. I appreciate the advice. It helped. Helps.”</p>
<p>“You should consider having a chat with Iga or Ian,” Geralt said. “They’re old enough that they know everything there is to know about sex. If the whole… unable to say no thing is a new thing for you, I bet they’ve seen it before and know how to deal with it.”</p>
<p>Eskel raised his eyebrows in mild surprise, but nodded his head. “That’s a good idea. And…” he blushed a little and looked to the side for a moment. “Yeah. New for me. Didn’t really realize it would happen until… after it happened.”</p>
<p>“Must have been a wild ride.” Then Geralt paused. “Actually, I’m kind of surprised Dracula hasn’t outright eaten you. That’s really playing into his worst habits, isn’t it?”</p>
<p>“He damn well nearly did.” Eskel shook his head and stretched, loosening the tension he’d been holding since dinner. “I’ve spent weeks out on the Path and not been bitten so much. Fuck, when and if actual fucking ever happens, I won’t be able to move for days.”</p>
<p>“With that cherry ass of yours, you wouldn’t be able to move anyway,” Geralt said with a leer.</p>
<p>Eskel looked at Geralt with something like dread. “Yeah. That’s. That’s not really news and also not encouraging either. Damn.”</p>
<p>“Eh, it’s not that bad. You can always potion up, too.” Geralt waved Eskel’s hesitance away with a flappy hand. “Dracula likes it when I’m all high on potions when he takes a sip.”</p>
<p>“That… hasn’t been my experience.” Eskel looked at Geralt out of the corner of his eye. “He likes it when I don’t heal. Wants to keep me marked.”</p>
<p>“He does like it,” Geralt confirmed with a smug smirk. “Maybe a potion before, then a White Honey just after, so he can mark you up some then? Or maybe a salve.” </p>
<p>Eskel hummed. “I might have to negotiate with him,” he said after a moment. Then he shrugged. “Probably won’t be for a while yet anyways. I’m still kind of, uh, working up to it.”</p>
<p>Geralt giggled unexpectedly.</p>
<p>“Alright, alright but mentioning both saucing up on the potions and fucking in the same conversation will probably lead straight to the fucking.” Then he proceeded to chortle at whatever he was imagining.</p>
<p>“Eh, maybe, maybe not.” Eskel shrugged. “He’s been surprisingly good about letting me, er, take things at my own pace. Which has been a relief, really. He was pretty happy about this past visit, though.”</p>
<p>“Patience doesn’t seem to be very much in his character, but I guess that’s good?” </p>
<p>Eskel nodded. Then he jerked his chin towards their packs. “Go ahead and take the first sleep tonight. I’ve got stuff I need to think on.”</p>
<p>“Thanks. I found that meditation doesn’t do me half as much good as sleep recently. Something about the surgery and the healing later on fucked up my balance pretty badly.” Geralt shrugged, got up, and stretched. “At least it’s a warm night.”</p>
<p>Eskel did not shiver. It took effort to do so though. </p>
<p>“Yeah. The dog days of summer,” he said instead. “I’ll wake you in a bit. Don’t worry about the meditation. It’ll come back to you.”</p>
<p>Geralt waved a hand at him and got up to rummage around for his bedroll. It only took a minute or two for him to get settled in and drop off to sleep.</p>
<p>There was little to no chance that they’d be interrupted this night, but just in case, Eskel cast a Yrden sign around the whole of their tiny camp. </p>
<p>Then he settled in to stare at the fire, his mind heavy with all the thoughts spinning through it.</p>
<p>--</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>--</p><p>The next morning, they packed up and headed out just after dawn. Eskel had let Geralt sleep pretty late into the night, only taking a couple of hours to meditate by the fire before waking again.</p><p>Geralt missed being able to recover so quickly. He knew that Eskel was right; meditation would replenish him with growing efficiency as he recovered his stamina and balance. It was still annoying though. For the interim, it was kind of nice to have Eskel there to guard the camp while he slept. He didn’t really like to actually <i>sleep</i> while he was out at a wild camp, but needs must. </p><p>It was kind of nice to have Eskel join him for a hunt, too. Throughout their lives, they’d teamed up from time to time on the Path, so this wasn’t an unusual situation. But normally Geralt was a little stronger. Having Eskel here while he was still taking small bounties was a strange kind of safety net. </p><p>Honestly, it was one he would have been annoyed at, except it was clear that babysitting Geralt wasn’t Eskel’s intent at all.</p><p>The bit about the gifts. Gods, Geralt wanted to smack himself. He’d thought…</p><p>Well. It didn’t matter what he’d thought. Dracula hadn’t realized what he was doing, probably because when <i>really</i> was the last time anyone gave him something just for the hell of it? All that mattered now was that Eskel was right; Geralt needed to come up with something nice to present as a <i>real</i> gift. </p><p>Geralt knew that Dracula wouldn’t really care if he was gifted anything or not. Or at least, Geralt didn’t think he would care much. He didn’t seem to want anything but physical closeness and attention, which Geralt was always more than eager to give. </p><p>But gifts were nice, and it was a crying shame that Dracula hadn’t gotten any. Even if it wasn’t the most fabulous or even useful item, Geralt was hopeful that Dracula would enjoy the novelty of being given something anyways. </p><p>Trust Eskel to already have an idea on where to get something. </p><p>There was something about Eskel’s planning that made Geralt wonder. While Eskel did often look out for Geralt, he’d never know Eskel to be, well, <i>romantic</i>. Presents to a lover were definitely on the list of romantic things, though. </p><p>Although… it would be hard to get into the habit of it, when most of Eskel’s lovers were bought and paid for.</p><p>In light of their conversation last night, it made Geralt wonder if Eskel didn’t have dreams or fantasies about relationships. Things he’d never let himself have, but now he was considering. It was strange that he might decide to use Geralt as a guinea pig for them, but, eh, Geralt was the one who would benefit from giving Eskel’s suggestions a spin, so why not?</p><p>Very unusual though. </p><p>To be honest, Eskel seemed just a little…<i>off</i> in general. Geralt couldn’t put his finger on it. It wasn’t even his grumpiness; even that seemed oddly distant. Whatever it was nagged at Geralt like a pebble in his boot. </p><p>Maybe it was just what they’d talked about last night. </p><p>That. Hell, there were times Geralt wasn’t sure what to think about his life. Their lives. It was looking more and more likely that he and Eskel would be sharing lovers.</p><p>Geralt had been jealous at first, when Alucard had started to regularly cuddle up with Eskel next to the kitchen fire. And then again there was a touch of it after the whole kidnapping fiasco. Especially when Eskel admitted to kissing ‘a little’ during the whole debacle. </p><p>His anger was short lived, though. Geralt could see how much happier Eskel, Dracula, and Alucard all were with the regular contact. He could see how much Dracula enjoyed Eskel’s company. Even Eskel, despite his moaning and squirming at Dracula’s untender mercies, never seemed to actually <i>want</i> it to stop. Geralt was sure that if he had, he would have made his displeasure known and then Dracula would back off. Dracula didn’t like forcing affection. </p><p>The whole situation was making Eskel open up and reach out of his pragmatic routine. That was probably a good thing. Geralt didn’t really have it in him to begrudge any of them happiness. More than that, Eskel seemed to <i>fit</i> with them all in a strange way.</p><p>It was comforting to know that Eskel’s relationship with Dracula and Alucard was different than how Geralt interacted with them. That made it clear that Eskel wasn’t just a replacement for Geralt; they liked him for different reasons. It also helped to see that Dracula and Alucard’s attitudes and behaviors towards Geralt hadn’t changed at all. </p><p>Well. Not in any way that mattered. He had noticed that after long cuddling sessions with Eskel, Dracula tended to hunt either Alucard or Geralt down to fuck them into a wall for a day. Geralt certainly wasn’t complaining about that, though he did feel a bit of sympathy for how frustrated Dracula was. Geralt honestly wasn’t sure Eskel would survive it when he finally gave in to Dracula’s appetites. Knowing him, Dracula would attempt to work out all of his frustration at once, to Eskel’s great pleasure. </p><p>Geralt giggled to himself. Eskel had made his bed, and he could lie in it. </p><p>Perhaps it wasn’t so strange that Geralt didn’t feel like staking his claim on the vampires more than he already had. He’d never been the jealous type to begin with, and Eskel was already like close family. Every time it looked like Dracula opened up a little more to feeling and caring, Geralt couldn’t help but feel happy. Seeing Alucard reach out and touch more was good, too. Having another person to try and encourage Alucard to <i>fucking feed once in a while</i> was also nice. </p><p>He couldn’t picture anyone else joining their strange little relationship, though. There weren’t a lot of people that Geralt trusted. Of the few that he did, there wasn’t anyone he thought that he would be able to tolerate sharing his lovers with. Not to mention that he couldn’t really see Dracula or Alucard taking interest in those of Geralt’s friends that he did trust. </p><p>Maybe Dracula might. He was even more insatiable than Geralt, which was really saying something. It was possible that he might want to take another lover. But at the same time he was utterly uninterested in humans, his disgust at humanity a tangible thing.</p><p>Perhaps adding Eskel into the mix would mellow him a bit.</p><p>Geralt found himself hoping that Eskel would keep going and agree to being Dracula’s lover. It was obvious that Eskel had some very serious reservations. Which was probably the sane response.</p><p>Despite that, Eskel seemed to be happier now that he had this connection to the vampires.</p><p>The bit about not being able to say no… Geralt wasn’t really worried about what might happen. He trusted that Dracula would do his best to keep Eskel happy and safe. He was a little worried about how Eskel would handle it.</p><p>That admission was clearly very private. More so because Eskel was normally a very private person. If not for that, Geralt would have gone to the sex demons himself and asked for their expertise. But it wouldn’t really be right for him to do so without Eskel’s agreement. </p><p>Maybe he could just… nudge one of the demons into talking to Eskel in general. They all knew that Eskel hadn’t been with a man before. That could be a good enough excuse for Geralt to send one of the demons to give him advice. </p><p>He mulled over the possibilities as they rode east. Eskel was often a quiet one on the road, and in general, so Geralt had plenty of time to think it all over. </p><p>Around midday, they stopped to rest and water the horses and grab a bite to eat. Rather than hitting up an inn, they just stopped in a clearing off to the side of the road. There was a small stream for the horses to drink from and an old fire pit. Clearly, this was a regular waypoint for travelers. Perfect for a spot of lunch.</p><p>Geralt got the horses set up while Eskel started a little fire and pulled out carefully wrapped packages of food.</p><p>“Kind of mild out for summer, isn’t it?” Geralt asked. He’d expected it to be warmer. Granted, they were in the northern part of Kaedwen, and near the mountains too, so it never really got as hot here as it would in southern Temeria or down in Nilfgaard, but still. </p><p>“Yeah,” Eskel said after a long pause. “I guess so.” </p><p>Geralt looked him over. Eskel was in his full gear, which was normal. No witcher went without all his armor, though Geralt had noticed that sometimes the others left their arms unguarded. Eskel had on his regular leather and studded steel getup. When Geralt took a closer look, he noticed that it looked like Eskel had on a couple of extra layers on under it, too. The ends of a long sleeve shirt stuck out from the collar of his jacket, and his clothes were oddly bulky. </p><p>He looked around. The summer grasses and flowers looked properly dry and smelled fragrant in a way that only heat and sun could create. The horses’ blankets had been a bit damp. Sweatier than he’d expected given how mild it seemed outside, but not drenched like they’d been working hard all morning.</p><p>Geralt shrugged to himself and settled down to eat his lunch. The campfire was probably excessive. It wasn’t like they were staying long. Either one of them could easily extinguish it with a sign, so he ignored it. Maybe Eskel wanted to heat up his lunch.</p><p>Sure enough, a couple of skewers of carefully wrapped meat from last night were put back next to the fire to warm. They split a pile of fruit and nuts while they waited.</p><p>“What do you think Alucard is up to about now?” Geralt asked.</p><p>Their trip to Castlevania City had been pretty wild, even if they only stayed in Alucard’s tower. </p><p>Eskel shrugged. Something about his expression set off that odd feeling again. It wasn’t that there was some emotion reflected there that Geralt couldn’t pinpoint. It was that there was <i>nothing</i>. Eskel was very, very good at hiding what he felt, when he wanted to. Interesting that he should choose now to do so.</p><p>“Work, probably?” Eskel said after a minute. He poked the fire with a long stick and then rotated the skewers to warm up the other side of the meat. </p><p>“He does work a lot,” Geralt allowed. He waited a moment, wondering if Eskel would say anything else. That unfinished bond between Eskel and Alucard had to have some kind of effect. Probably. Realistically. </p><p>Geralt wasn’t certain. He wasn’t a mage, after all. It would make sense if something was going on.</p><p>“He’s been gone more than usual,” Geralt said in an attempt to prod some more information out of Eskel. It was an accurate observation. Geralt did spend a lot of time on the Path since he stumbled onto the vampires, but Alucard tended to show up at the castle whenever Geralt came back. Or at least he had. That hadn’t really been the case this summer.</p><p>Geralt knew that Alucard had said that he would be spending the summer getting ready to take a longer break during winter time, but he’d at least expected that Alucard would take a rest day now and then.</p><p>It took a long time for Eskel to answer. </p><p>“Probably work,” he said again. “You were out of it for most of the time you were there, but Alucard spends every waking second doing his job.” He licked his lips, and again Geralt got the sneaking suspicion that Eskel was purposely keeping his face blank. “He pulled a lot of strings to get you healed. John and Matt both seemed to think there would be extra stuff to do because of it.” He shrugged with one shoulder. “Or not. The guy does like to overwork.”</p><p>He passed Geralt one of the newly warm meat kebabs, and then grabbed one for himself. </p><p>Geralt wanted to hum speculatively to himself, but he held back. </p><p>There was probably nothing to worry about. Eskel looked fine. </p><p>Probably.</p><p>“This is ridiculous,” Geralt muttered. “He should take a weekend off now and again. I could take him to see the sights. Show him some of the nice elven ruins. Take him shopping, maybe.”</p><p>That got a reaction. Eskel twiched a little in place, but then kept eating. Again, there was that pause before he spoke. Eskel was usually a little on the taciturn side. With <i>other</i> people. Not Geralt. It was like he had to really think about what he wanted to say before he said it.</p><p>“That’s a good idea,” Eskel said, nodding. “Alucard would probably love to see some of the ruins. Lots of magic there, too. Plenty to look at. Give him a break for a bit.”</p><p>“You could keep Dracula entertained while we’re out exploring,” Geralt offered with a sly grin. “I’m sure Dracula would be pleased with that.”</p><p>Eskel snorted in amusement. Finally, an emotion.</p><p>“Just bet he would,” he muttered, but there was a touch of a smile on his lips when he said it.</p><p>Geralt grinned a little wider and then focused on eating. He was suddenly anxious to be on the road again. Maybe if they got busy with the hunt, Eskel would loosen up.</p><p>“Rumor has it there’s gonna be some kind of meet up of all the rulers of the Northern Kingdoms,” Geralt said. “Having you around to nibble on might sweeten Dracula’s temper over it.”</p><p>Eskel raised himself like an offended cat at this. “Why is everybody so insistent on feeding me to him at every opportunity?”</p><p>Geralt had only intended to poke a little fun, but this reaction was a little more intense than he’d expected. Still pretty fun, though.</p><p>He grinned.</p><p>“Because both of you look so happy about it afterwards!” Geralt gestured at Eskel’s neck, which was currently still sporting a very nice sized hickie. </p><p>Eskel opened his mouth and sucked in a breath, puffing out in outrage but then closed it and exhaled loudly through his nose, slumping. There was a blush on his cheeks, and it looked like he was fighting to keep a smile off of his face.</p><p>“He irritates the fuck out of me,” Eskel grumbled half-heartedly, fiddling with the empty meat stick.</p><p>“Not so much that you’re running away, I see.” Geralt raised an eyebrow at him. That was another difference. Dracula didn’t really tease Geralt the way he seemed to like prodding at Eskel. For his part, Eskel didn’t react the way that Geralt would have expected, which should have involved stabbing and dismemberment but actually mostly amounted to blushing and grumpy mumbling.</p><p>“He’s so, so… demanding and… physical. He keeps poking me,” Eskel huffed. “But…” He trailed off.</p><p>Geralt waited for a bit. When more words weren’t forthcoming, he decided to push a little.</p><p>“But?”</p><p>Eskel looked down at his hands.</p><p>“He doesn’t need anything from me. He doesn’t need me as a fighter, doesn’t need any possible riches or magic I could offer him.” He let out a bitter laugh. “And it’s not like I’m offering much in the way of <i>experience</i> with what he wants to do.” The kebab skewer that Eskel had been fiddling with was just a pile of miserable splinters between his feet now. “The only reason he might be doing this, paying so much attention is because he… just… he just wants someone to own. Someone to play with while you and Alucard are busy.” From the conflicted, unhappy look on Eskel’s face, he didn’t believe it. Or maybe didn’t want to believe it. If he’d been certain in his belief that Dracula didn’t care for him, he would have been significantly less anxious about the whole thing. In fact, it sounded more like Eskel was trying to convince <i>himself</i>.</p><p>Said plainly like that, Eskel’s statement came off fairly grim. Geralt had known Eskel for a long time. He was familiar with how self-deprecating Eskel could be, at times. He was always his own harshest critic. A good portion of that probably just came from being a witcher; they didn’t lead kind lives. </p><p>So the tenor of this particular admission didn’t particularly surprise Geralt, but neither did he think it was true, for a number of reasons. Not the least of which was that Dracula obviously adored Eskel. </p><p>All he needed to do was remind Eskel of that. </p><p>“He has a castle full of toys,” Geralt said mildly. “A whole world worth probably,” he amended as he thought of the power Dracula possessed. </p><p>He tossed the bones from his lunch into the fire and wiped his hands on his pants. As obvious as the situation seemed to Geralt, and despite the absolute clarity with which he saw Dracula’s honest fondness, he had to remind himself that Eskel had never done serious or long term relationships before. Not only that, but Eskel was prone to getting things twisted up in his head and then just brooding on them forever. </p><p>“Dracula’s interest isn’t fleeting. Once he gives his affection, it’s forever,” Geralt said. He pointed towards Eskel’s chest, where he knew Dracula’s mark lay. “Hasn’t he shown that he cares in a thousand tiny ways?”</p><p>That was just Dracula’s way. He never said the word <i>love</i>. Not to Geralt, even. Maybe to Alucard. But he showed his care in how he looked out for those he liked. He protected them, put his power between them and all harm, if he could. He gave them whatever they might need or want. </p><p>He also fucked them.</p><p>Sexual interest seemed to go hand in hand with any other type of emotional interest for Dracula, though he was exhibiting more patience towards Eskel than Geralt believed possible.</p><p>That must have sunk in a little, because Eskel looked at him out of the corner of his eye and Geralt could actually <i>see</i> him thinking. </p><p>“It’ll be alright, Eskel,” Geralt said, patting him on the shoulder. “Enjoy your time with him.”</p><p>Eskel snorted. “You certainly do,” he said dryly, and dusted off his hands. </p><p>“Damn right, I do,” Geralt shamelessly admitted, and stood up. “Come on, let’s go find some beasties to kill.”</p><p>Rather than responding, Eskel just stood up and started to help clean up. In minutes, they had the horses ready to go, their packs loaded, and the campfire safely extinguished.</p><p>“How many days of riding do we have to get to where we’re going, do you think?” Geralt asked as he mounted up.</p><p>“Two or three? Maybe? We’re gonna need to stop and ask for some information. Check out the lay of the land as we go.” Eskel mounted Scorpion and the two of them headed back onto the road. “You got enough crossbow bolts? Word is there are a fair number of harpies up in the foothills.”</p><p>“Uggg, fucking harpies,” Geralt bitched. He hated those things. “Yeah, I got enough. Dracula kitted me out pretty well before I went back out on the Path.”</p><p>Eskel nodded and cast an appreciative eye over Geralt’s gear. All brand new, and all very, very nice. </p><p>“You are really milking your sugar baby status, aren’t you?” Eskel snickered.</p><p>“Pffft, says the man who got all those nicely tailored clothes in Castlevania City,” Geralt shot back. He wasn’t actually offended; more, he was pleased that Eskel had lightened up enough to tease a little.</p><p>A bit of color dusted Eskel’s cheeks. “You’re gonna get some too, next time you go. Weapons, too. Stuff to blend in with the folks there.”</p><p>A hundred incredibly entertaining ideas raced through Geralt’s head. “Reaaally. Oh, you and I need to go out and give that stuff a spin. Do you think there’s stuff to kill there?”</p><p>Eskel shook his head. “Couldn’t you feel the energy in that city? Fucking crazy. Demonic power everywhere. Unchecked, too. Plus the other threads. Some of that is Alucard, but there’s other stuff, too.”</p><p>Geralt raised his eyebrows. Witchers were all somewhat sensitive to magic power, but not like <i>that</i>. Their medallions were often tuned to more accurately find it. After bonding with Dracula, Geralt had discovered he could sense Dracula’s power at a much greater distance. <i>Dracula’s</i> power. Not anything else. </p><p>“You can feel the city like that?” Geralt asked, curious.</p><p>Eskel nodded. “From the moment I got there. Drove me crazy, all that darkness everywhere. Then after Alucard…” </p><p>He ducked his head and looked away for a moment, hiding whatever expression was on his face. Only for a couple of seconds, then he was back to looking ahead, face neutral. Interesting.</p><p>“Once Alucard made the bond with me, I could sense more. There’s a lot going on in that city. I’m sure we’d be able to find something to test out some weapons on. Though we might have to fight the local guard for the pleasure.”</p><p>Suddenly all Geralt could think of was Alucard in Hans’ spare room, so possessive and wild he took Geralt’s breath away. It was rare for Alucard to become quite so uncontrolled and Geralt cherished that memory. He could feel his interest raise up, body heating up at the memory of Alucard throwing him onto the bed and <i>making</i> him behave. </p><p>“What the fuck, Geralt,” Eskel exclaimed, nudging Scorpion away from Geralt as if he had the plague. “Why are you suddenly smelling like a whorehouse?” He nudged Scorpion another step away. He was off the road by now and giving Geralt the hairy eyeball the whole time.</p><p>Geralt just smirked happily, still lost in the fond memory of Alucard’s hand in his hair and cock down his throat. “Mmmm, no reason,” he said with a grin.</p><p>“For fuck’s sake.” Eskel groaned and rolled his eyes. </p><p>They rode on quietly for a few minutes after that. Eskel eventually moved Scorpion back on the road, though he gave Geralt a side-eyed look when he did so. Hilariously, his horse seemed to be picking up on his mood and was also shying away from Geralt and looking at him distrustfully.</p><p>“You need anything in the next town?” Eskel asked.</p><p>Geralt thought for a moment, and then shook his head. “Nothing urgently.” He shrugged. There were always things to buy and sell, little odds and ends that got picked up while on the Path. He had the drowner tongues, but that required a specific type of trader and not every little town had one. </p><p>“Let’s see if we can make some time up,” Eskel said with a nod, and clicked his tongue, urging Scorpion into a trot. </p><p><i>Eh, why not</i>, Geralt thought with a shrug, and spurred Roach to follow. </p><p>Witchers spent so much time on the road, it felt like almost second nature to go at a relatively quick pace. They’d need to give their horses a good rest tonight, but since they were stopping for Geralt to sleep anyways that wouldn’t be an issue. </p><p>Perhaps not so coincidentally, the pace was fast enough that it didn’t encourage idle conversation. Geralt had to wonder if that was on purpose. And if so, what was Eskel trying to avoid talking about. Dracula and Alucard? Or whatever he thought made the arousal in Geralt’s scent spike up?</p><p>If it was the latter, Geralt had to hold back a snicker over it. Eskel was going to have to get used to the smell of lust if he was going to be in a permanent relationship with Dracula and Alucard. </p><p>--</p><p>The first couple of days of riding flew by without incident. By the third, they were nearing the edges of the area detailed on the map. </p><p>They slowed their travel at that point, and took careful notice of the small towns they rode through. Most were just a small collection of buildings; some farmers that had gathered together for security and profit. Maybe an inn if they were lucky.</p><p>Sometime in mid afternoon they rode into the first town large enough to merit a notice board. Long habit made that the first place the witchers stopped. </p><p>Eskel dismounted when they got close, and cast a careful eye over the bits of paper nailed to the board. Most of it was run of the mill stuff. A wedding announcement. Some bitching about a bad neighbor. A lost steer. </p><p>An offer to exchange books. Eskel eyed that one with interest.</p><p>Now that had merit. Eskel thought about the small stack of thin volumes he kept in his travel pack. He’d read them all a couple dozen times; life on the Path was sometimes filled with long periods of waiting. He could use something new to read. He’d left the tablet he gotten from Matt at Kaer Morhen once the device stopped working. He would need to wait for his next visit in Castlevania before he could get it working again, so there was no use carrying it with him. It seemed like too valuable an item to risk destroying on the Path, anyways. Even the most skilled witcher could have a run of bad luck.</p><p>Another furtive little thought crossed his mind. </p><p>Maybe this trader would have something a little more… romantic. That wasn’t Eskel’s usual reading material of choice, but this whole situation with Dracula had him a little curious. </p><p>What <i>was</i> romance like for regular people? He’d read such stories before, of course, but generally he skimmed over the actual wooing and nuptials. Why would he ever need to know such things, after all? Even fantasizing or reading about them was a moot point, because up until recently Eskel had been certain down to his bones that love was never possible for a witcher, and thus wasn’t even worth fantasizing about. </p><p>Geralt was an exception.</p><p>Geralt was <i>always</i> an exception. With nearly everything.</p><p>But now… Well. Eskel found himself curious. If he did decide to go all the way with Dracula, would it be like just another fuck? Somehow, that seemed incredibly dissatisfying to Eskel. He wanted it to be special. More special than another trip to a whorehouse. </p><p>Then he remembered how Dracula had acted towards him so far and wanted to groan out loud. It would never be just a fuck, not for Eskel. Maybe closer to a life or death situation, he thought with some amusement. Still. It would never be just a physical event. Not with how much Dracula affected him. It felt like a great deal more than just his body would be invested in the act.</p><p>The whole concept of love, of long term emotional attachment, felt like such a pie in the sky dream. Perversely, it kind of made Eskel want to try and live out a little more of the fantasy of it. If he was going to try it, anyways. Eskel still felt dubious about the whole concept, especially with <i>him</i> as the main participant. </p><p>If Dracula was going to deflower him, what did that kind of thing look like for normal people? Were there actual drifts of flower petals on the bed like Eskel had imagined and the bards sung about? Was there some kind of preparation? Aside from the obvious physical prep that several people had redundantly explained to him now. Apparently, there was some very specific cleaning he needed to do.</p><p>He snorted in self-deprecating amusement and rubbed his eyes.</p><p>“What?” Geralt asked from where he was still mounted up on Roach.</p><p>“Book exchange,” Eskel said, pointing at the notice. “I’m thinking of checking it out.”</p><p>“You think they would even have anything interesting in this place?” He looked dubiously around the wooden houses with their straw roofs. </p><p>“Never know until we look.” Eskel shrugged. “Besides, anything different from the ones I’ve had for the last several weeks will be a bonus. I forgot to switch them out when I was last at Kaer Morhen.” He nodded towards the inn entrance and tugged on Scorpion’s reins. “We need to ask some questions here anyways.”</p><p>“Too busy with other matters? A new subject perhaps?” Geralt leered at him.</p><p>“Shut up,” Eskel grumbled, his face burning. Yes, he’d been busy with Dracula. </p><p>“I heard it’s very thrilling, sucks you right in.” Geralt continued, still beating that dead horse.</p><p>To answer would be to admit that the barb annoyed him, so Eskel just headed over to the stable to drop off Scorpion. He was followed the whole way by Geralt’s crowing laughter. </p><p>They tied their horses next to the watering trough and headed into the inn proper. It wasn’t much of a building. Just a large common room with a little kitchen off in the corner. One wall was stacked with barrels of beer. Directly in front of that was a small bar, and wooden tables and benches littered the rest of the room. An older man with an off white apron was ferrying heavy bowls of stew and bread to the few occupied tables in the place, and a younger woman was pouring beer behind the bar. </p><p>The first thing Eskel took note of was the smell. He noticed the expected scents of old, spilt beer and sweaty bodies; it was summer, after all, and even though the room wasn’t packed, the folks who were here had been out working in the sun all morning. Most of them, anyways. Overlayed on that was the smell of fresh bread and good food. There weren’t any scents of things being burnt or gone off, which was very promising indeed.</p><p>“We can grab a bite while we’re here,” Eskel said quietly to Geralt, who’d followed him in to the common room. Geralt sniffed appreciatively and nodded. </p><p>Eskel walked up to the bar.</p><p>“Oh look at that, a couple of witchers,” the woman behind the bar said. Her voice held mostly surprise and curiosity, rather than the vaguely expected disdain. “What can I get for you boys?”</p><p>“Food, beer.” Eskel shrugged with one shoulder and pointed at a barrel of what smelled like a lighter ale. The dark stuff often was half brewed roots as well as hops, and he wasn’t in the mood to drink sludge. </p><p>“Same,” Geralt added. “And a shot of liquor if you carry it.”</p><p>“Aye, coming up.” The woman waved a hand at the older man serving, and he went back to the kitchen. </p><p>While she got their drinks ready, Eskel leaned forward onto the bar, resting his weight on one arm. By long practice, Geralt leaned as well, but with his back on the bar, watching the room behind them. It was unlikely that they’d get jumped in a tavern, but it wouldn’t even be close to the first time if it did happen.</p><p>“Hey, you ever hear of some plant mage up in the hills?” Eskel asked, waving a hand in the general direction of the mountains. “Has a garden, tower, big house?”</p><p>She gave him a sideways look and slid Geralt’s shot to him. </p><p>“Heard of a place like that, yes. None of us locals really go up there, though.” She smoothed a hand down her dress. It wasn’t very fancy, but Eskel could see that it was well made, with good strong colors. A quick glance around the room showed a similar level of quality with the other diners. Common, but not on the brink of poverty. That seemed to bode well for people willing to pay to get any monster issues resolved. Folks who were being actively hunted looked a little more worn.</p><p>“Any reason in particular?” Eskel asked. Geralt snaked his arm around and downed his shot in one go, his eyes never leaving the rest of the room.</p><p>She shrugged, and passed over two beers. “There did indeed used to be a mage up there, or so rumor has it. Not like he came down to slum it with us, but sometimes caravans of goods would go through, up to the hills. They stopped a while back, just after the landslides. So far no one I know’s gone up to investigate. Although…” she paused.</p><p>Eskel raised an eyebrow and waited her out.</p><p>“Well, you might want to talk to Konrad, the smith in the northern part of the town.” She shrugged. “He goes out a fair bit, looking for materials. And he’s got a lot of stories.”</p><p>The older man in the apron walked up then, and pushed a couple of bowls of dark, thick looking stew in front of them along with a basket of bread chunks. “Konrad’s not gonna do you much good,” he grumbled. “Old bastard is crazy by half, ever since his brother got drunk and walked into a fucking tree and died.”</p><p>“Pa,” the woman hissed.</p><p>“What? It’s true. We all know how much of a boozer Janek was, as well as all the damn fool things he got into.” The man rubbed a hand through his short grey hair, and shook his head. “Konrad had a soft spot a league wide for him. Just because he <i>says</i> that some plant ate the moron doesn’t mean that it actually <i>happened</i>. Since he was just as bloody sauced himself at the time, no doubt he was just seeing things. Nothing good ever came out of that family. All they thought about was how to get boozed. Their da passed it to his sons and Janek just followed into his footsteps, including dying in the forest.” He shook his head. “There ain’t nothing up there worth looking at, witchers. Just trees and more trees and a bear or two.”</p><p>“So the area is safe for hunters then?” Eskel asked, testing a theory.</p><p>Now the woman and her father shared a sidelong look. </p><p>The older man shrugged a little, almost grudgingly. “Safe is relative, witcher. All kinds of nasty things in a forest. That doesn’t mean they're haunted. Just that an idiot is born every day.”</p><p>“Uh huh.” Eskel sipped his beer, though he couldn’t stop the slightly disbelieving look he gave them. “Haunted.”</p><p>“Old wives tales,” the man insisted.</p><p>Eskel snuck a peek at Geralt. The way he was angled, the barkeep and her father wouldn’t be able to see Geralt’s expression, but Eskel could. Right now, Geralt was rolling his eyes.</p><p>Old wives tales. Both of them knew that those things usually had some kind of grain of truth to them, and it was always frustrating when someone insisted they didn’t need to know such things.</p><p>Still the fact the people weren’t outright declaring some part of the forest cursed, meant the danger was localized and did not venture anywhere close to the village. That could mean a low energy monster that preferred to den down rather than hunt its prey, or there was some kind of security measure that only acted against trespassers. Or maybe there was a stationary creature that liked to lure in victims. Eskel had not missed the mention of a plant monster.</p><p>Before he could ask anything else, the older man wandered back to the kitchen. Eskel pursed his lips, and handed Geralt his bowl along with a large chunk of bread.</p><p>“Lots of ghost stories about the forest then?” Eskel prodded a little further, slowly dipping his bread into the stew. Geralt clearly had no such patience, he started working on his lunch like he hadn’t seen food in days. As much as Eskel wanted to follow suit, he held himself in check. There were rumors to be had. </p><p>Gods, it smelled good though. Good enough that his stomach cramped in complaint. </p><p>Eskel ignored the sensation. It was just another thing to get used to.</p><p>“Oh, you know,” the woman said with a dismissive hand wave. “Probably the same old stories that every town has. Teenagers sneaking out to fool around and coming back with incredible stories to hide what they were actually doing, hunters claiming a ‘ghost’ spooked their prey to explain why they didn’t catch anything.” She shook her head. “Sometimes somebody has an accident, or an animal gets eaten. Some places are definitely more dangerous than others. The valley beyond the Three Old Women Mountains is full of dangerous things. Nobody sane goes there to hunt. The ruins of the ancient water mill in the east are another place like that. The wolf holes further east from the mill, too. Accidents happen to people who go there. It’s just common sense to avoid the area, you know?”</p><p>Eskel ate slowly while he listened to the barkeep talk, nodding along at appropriate times. </p><p>“Any bounties up for the area?” he asked, just out of habit.</p><p>She shook her head. “No that I know of, but you might check the announcement board.”</p><p>A stray thought occurred to him.</p><p>“We just looked there. Saw there was a wedding coming up.”</p><p>Geralt flashed him a questioning look, but Eskel ignored him.</p><p>“Aye, that’s for my niece and her beau.” The woman smiled wide and crossed her arms easily. “Celebration is in a few days.”</p><p>“Are they in love?” Eskel asked.</p><p>“Stars in their eyes!” She waved a hand at her face as if to fan it, and then shook her head fondly. “I was never that sappy, I’m sure of it. It’s just as well, though. The bride’s father, that’s my brother, he’s dead set on a limited dowry. Two fields, at best. He doesn’t like the lad who’s marrying in one bit, but truthfully the old bastard is just feeling nasty because his little girl is growing up.” She gave Eskel a look that said she knew better than her brother, and nodded knowingly. “Luckily, the boy's family’s property runs up right near m’brother’s, and that lad has his own allotment, too. It’s a prosperous match, so my brother’s keeping a lid on his grumpiness.”</p><p>“Neighbors, huh. Seems… convenient.” Eskel nibbled on his bread as he thought about that. He’d never paid much attention to the marrying practices of farmers before, but maybe they knew something he didn’t.</p><p>“I would say so! Much better than running to and fro to work a bit of field here or there.” She shook her head and went back to wiping off the bar around them. “Not like my Aunt Margie. She married a man from the next town over, the Little Bend, and now they have two field here; one near the Brook’s Edge where her mother hailed from and two in Little Bend. They can never manage to work them all on time and at least one field is sown late every year. Just a bad idea all together.”</p><p>“What will the wedding be like?” Eskel absolutely ignored how Geralt wasn’t even bothering to watch the rest of the room. His focus was solely on Eskel.</p><p>“I suppose a witcher wouldn’t know, would you?” She looked at him and pursed her lips. “Well, first there’s going to be the wedding.” A dreamy look crossed her face and she smiled. “The kids already picked the best flowers from the fields to dress the horses. We’ll all ride out to the chapel at the crossroads between Little Bend, Brook’s Edge, and us, for the ceremony. We already have the chapel all dressed out in wreaths. It’s going to be so beautiful. Then the whole town will gather in my brother’s house. There will be food and gifts for the young couple. We’ll have a grand party, until we run out of everything. The baker’s wedding party took three days to wrap up! This one will likely be no different. It’s a good time.” She rested her elbows on the counter and put her jaw on her balled up fists. “And the wedding night, of course. I was part of the hen party. We prepared the bedroom to be as sweet as anything. Flowers and aromatic herbs everywhere.”</p><p>“Huh.” </p><p>A whole first night together. Eskel might not have been familiar with marriage practices, but he was very familiar with just how much stamina a normal human might have. He could wear out even the most athletic of whores within a couple of hours. No doubt for his first time with Dracula, the sex would last for a rather long time. From the stories that Geralt and Alucard had told him, they pretty regularly would take a day or three to really indulge themselves.</p><p>He shook his head, mentally kicking himself. It wasn’t set in stone that he would even let Dracula fuck him, let alone for several days straight. </p><p>Though he had to admit that if he said yes, the marathon sex was probably inevitable. </p><p>His mind wandered to the strange idea of how significant a day this was for normal humans. Food and flowers, friends and family gathered up. A chapel and a party. </p><p>A decorated bedroom.</p><p>That idea had some merit. </p><p>“Does everyone dress up? Are there special clothes for the bride and groom?” Eskel wondered aloud. Witchers had their armor, and generally kept stocks of extra gear as well as a personal armory. Sometimes they kept a nice set of clothes, but that was hit or miss depending on the witcher. Eskel had a couple of nicer items, and he had his tailored Castlevania City clothes, too. The idea of having a whole set of special clothes for just one day seemed a little ridiculous to him.</p><p>The barkeep gave him a surprised look.</p><p>“Of course!” She eyed Eskel curiously for a bit longer before adding, “Both the groom and the bride will wear traditional finery. Oh, the dress she has! The white lace is amazing. She’s spent the last three months tatting it. And there’s the veil, of course. One of the highlights of the party will be the unveiling at midnight.”</p><p>“Unveiling?”</p><p>The barkeep nodded. “It symbolizes the bride moving from being a maiden to a married woman.” Then she paused. “At least we no longer cut the hair at unveiling. I would hate it to have my hair cut, you know?” She pulled her thick braid over her shoulder. “See what I mean?”</p><p>This was what caught Geralt’s attention. Eskel had to fight really hard not to roll his eyes. That man had a fetish.</p><p>“This is a very nice braid,” Geralt admitted, looking the warm auburn hair with an appreciative gleam in his eyes. “Would be a shame to lose it,” he murmured leaning in.</p><p>“I know!” She flicked the end of her braid at Geralt, suddenly flirty, and Eskel had to fight not to take a double take. At first she didn’t even seem to notice Geralt, but the moment he paid attention to her, she suddenly became all high tones and flirty gestures.</p><p>She hadn’t flirted with Eskel. </p><p>He felt himself become grumpy for no reason whatsoever. He wasn’t even interested in her.</p><p>Not like he should be surprised at the flirting. Geralt was usually the one to grab all the attention. Normally, Eskel wasn’t really bothered by it. Now he couldn’t help but think of Dracula and Alucard and their very pointed attention towards him. It was such a contrast from how everyone else seemed to view him.</p><p>Maybe he was being an idiot, thinking about love and first times and all that romance crap. Dracula and Alucard had Geralt.</p><p>Eskel viciously shoved that thought down into a well, and reminded himself that both Dracula and Alucard had said that he was important to them. Different than Geralt, but still important. </p><p>He concentrated on eating his stew while he tried to keep his brain on track. </p><p>Someone else came up to the bar to order a drink, and Geralt and moved out of the way and headed over to a table to finish eating. Eskel followed without thinking.</p><p>“You alright?” Geralt asked, eyeing him from across the table.</p><p>“Fine,” Eskel said evenly, and applied himself to his lunch.</p><p>“You seem grumpy,” Geralt scrapped his spoon on the bottom of the bowl, getting out the last bits of the stew. It was really damn good stew, Eskel had to admit. “You surprised me with the questions.”</p><p>Eskel shrugged, and used his bread to sop up the last of the stew gravy out of his bowl. Gods, it must have been the hunger, but it tasted <i>really good</i>. “Was just curious.” </p><p>That was true enough, anyways. He had been a little curious. Perhaps that curiosity had something to do with his own situation, but that was beside the point. </p><p>“Weddings are mostly just an excuse for the families to show off their wealth and for the neighbors to drink and party for free.”</p><p>Eskel hummed noncommittally. It wasn’t really the party part of the affair he was interested in. Maybe the ceremony bit. Was that what Dracula had done with Geralt and Alucard? Some kind of… ritual? Their bond wasn’t really like marriage, but at the same time it <i>really</i> was. </p><p>Did Eskel want that, too?</p><p>Asking Geralt about the process right now would tip him off to Eskel’s line of thought, so he kept his mouth shut. Maybe he’d ask Alucard. </p><p>Assuming he got to see Alucard sometime in the next several months. </p><p>The grumpiness came back in full force, and Eskel stared at his woefully empty bowl. He shook his head and stood up.</p><p>“You ready to go talk to the smith?”</p><p>Geralt stuffed the last of the bread into his mouth; the slices were generous enough that they’d lasted for the whole bowl with a little extra. Geralt chewed for a moment before getting up.</p><p>“Sure, unless you want to go look at some lace dresses?” Geralt teased gently.</p><p>“<i>Asshole</i>,” Eskel grumbled, ducking his head to hide the blush burning on his cheeks. He dropped the empty bowl off up at the bar with a nod towards the barkeep, and headed out to the horses without a backwards glance at Geralt. </p><p>He could hear Geralt walking right behind him the whole way, and he absolutely ignored the barely audible snicker. By the time they untied their horses, Eskel finally got his blushes under control enough to give Geralt a scowl.</p><p>“I’d threaten to tell Dracula that you might want to go shopping for some lace dresses yourself, but I’m fairly sure you wouldn’t give a shit.”</p><p>Geralt just grinned at him, and mounted up.</p><p>“Oh, Eskel,” Geralt purred. “There are dresses, and then there are <i>dresses</i>.”</p><p>“And I’m sure you’ve tried them all on.” Eskel mounted up and reined Scorpion down the street, keeping his eyes peeled for the smith.</p><p>“You know, we are never gonna live that drunken dress-up night down,” Geralt said as he rode up alongside Eskel. He was talking about that night he, Eskel, and Lambert all got utterly trashed, dressed up in Yennefer’s clothes, and then proceeded to use her megascope to contact other mages and pretend to be her. Badly.</p><p>“We can only hope,” Eskel said, shaking his head. “But knowing how this crap always goes down, chances are good it won’t be the last time we make idiots of ourselves.”</p><p>Geralt just laughed at him, but didn’t disagree. Ransacking a sorceress's dress collection wasn’t even close to the most ridiculous thing either of them had ever done while drunk.</p><p>Lambert’s drink mixes were a <i>menace</i>. </p><p>The smith was right around the corner, and it looked like the man himself was at work at the anvil in his little yard. Making horseshoes, from the looks of things. Eskel noted that there was a conveniently located pitcher and cup on a table nearby, but it didn’t look like beer. Water, maybe. The smell of the forge neatly covered up the scent of the drink. He had to wonder if the gossip about the man being a drunk from a family of drunks was just that. Gossip. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d heard people talk shit about each other for no good reason.</p><p>Eskel looked at the row of already made horseshoes and he had to admit they looked solid, but nothing in the work suggested advanced craftsmanship. A solid worker, then, if not a talented one.</p><p>“If you want your horses looked at,” the man said pausing in his hammering, “I can’t do anything today. Have to finish the shoes for the wedding horses first.”</p><p>Eskel dismounted and took a step closer. He wanted to talk to the man, not intimidate him. “Not here for the horses, though we might be by later for repairs. We’re interested in the forest. Heard some stories, and heard you might know more.”</p><p>The man dragged his forearm over his sweaty forehead, the heat of the forge making his skin look flushed and weathered more than his age should account for. There was an uneven bump on his nose, a mark of a previous break that hadn’t been set right.</p><p>“Why?” the smith asked. “Nobody wants to know anything in this god forsaken town, not as long as things remain the same.” His words were bitter. The next strike with his hammer hit the horseshoe too hard, overly flattening the metal and causing the smith to curse quietly at the mistake.</p><p>“Good thing we’re from out of town then,” Eskel said. </p><p>He let a slow, sardonic grin spread across his face. The scars on the right side of his face went across his upper lip, and he knew that it looked like he had a resting snarl all the time. Smiling did not improve this look one bit, but it did make him look that much more vicious. </p><p>He waved a hand at Geralt. “We’re looking to go take a little trip into the woods. See what there is to see. Maybe kill a few monsters if there are any. If you know anything about what we might find, we’d appreciate hearing about it.”</p><p>“There’s nothing but bad luck in those forests,” the smith said. He waved the hammer to the road and the forest beyond it. His thick muscles bunched as he hefted the heavy tool with ease. “It gets into your head. Nothing as easy as a wild dog or a stupid drowner.”</p><p>“Gets into your head how?” Eskel shifted his weight a little. Not really because he was uncomfortable, but more to try and set the blacksmith at ease. He’d found that if he focused too much, people got a little twitchy. Easier to try and come off as, well, more human while he was trying to get them to talk.</p><p>The smith just shook his head and brought his hammer down for another powerful swing, this time with a touch more control. “Stuff just looks different up there. Something in the air, maybe. People say there are ghosts, and it’s true, though they don’t follow any logic I know of. The plants, the trees are strange.” He glanced up to Eskel and Geralt, eyeing their armor and swords. “They make you want to do… <i>stuff</i>, stuff you would never do.”</p><p>Interesting. Eskel wracked his brain for what that could be. Maybe some kind of charm. Could be a ward too. After all, even witchers had the Axii sign, which could convince those of weak will to do any number of things. Eskel was pretty good at that, good enough that he could make enemies fight for him, if need be. No doubt a good mage could do more. There were some monsters that could charm as well.</p><p>“Stuff,” Eskel said. “Violent stuff? Or just stupid stuff?”</p><p>The smith looked to the side really fast, looking for the life of him like he would rather jump off a cliff than answer that question. “Just stuff. Things that seem rational at the time, but later you realize are just lunacy.”</p><p>“Huh.” Eskel glanced at Geralt. “We heard your brother died up there.”</p><p>The smith… No. Konrad, Eskel remembered. That’s what the man at the bar had said the smith’s name was. </p><p>Konrad’s face twisted up, deep furrows appearing in his weathered skin.</p><p>“People say a lot of things, that he got drunk and got what he deserved.” He hammered the horseshoe again, flattening it beyond recognition.</p><p>“Seems to me that people like to talk, and a lot of the time they mostly talk shit. You knew your brother. What do you think happened?” Eskel tilted his head curiously.</p><p>Konrad paused then and really looked at Eskel and Geralt. Then he looked down at his hammer, lips pursed. </p><p>“We went up looking for ore, maybe some precious metals. There was a big landslide. Those happen from time to time here in the hills, but this was a bigger one. We could see the dust it kicked up from all the way down here in the town.” He waved a hand up towards the hills. “Sometimes those things kick up some good stuff. We figured it was worth taking a look. And, fine, Janek had something to drink, but it wasn’t enough that he was drunk. He liked to have a flask on him, is all. When we got up there…” Konrad shook his head, and absently twisted the hammer handle, rolling it back and forth in his palm. </p><p>“Things started to look pretty strange. The trees moved weird. Sounded… creepy, I guess. And there were some plants, big wicked things, that popped up out of the ground. I tried to pull Janek away, I swear I did. But he just ran right into them, yelling nonsense.” He shrugged, and went back to hammering the shoe. “Those things…” He stopped with the hammer resting on the anvil and hung his head. “By the Gods, those things.” </p><p>He shuddered visibly. </p><p>“They killed him. As if he was some kind of animal. Just tore him apart.” He paused, big shoulders shaking as emotion wracked him. “Gods, he screamed. So much.” Konrad shook his head, not looking at them. He let go of the hammer completely and put his face in his hands. “I got the hell out of there before their vines could drag me in too.” He spoke through his fingers, his whole body bowed under the weight of the memory. “Felt sick for <i>days</i> after. I didn’t even remember what happened until the third day.” He raised his face then, eyes dry but red and tired. “I tried to warn people about it, but of course no one listens. Just blamed the drink.”</p><p>“Echinops, maybe?” Geralt said quietly. </p><p>Eskel nodded. “Could be, though there might be something else too.” He turned his attention back to Konrad. “Is there anything else you can tell us about the area? We heard there was a mage up there. Do you think he might have been involved?”</p><p>“There used to be a mage up there, but I dunno if we were anywhere near his place. On the way up, we could see his tower above the treeline. The landslide cut pretty near to it. Once we were in the woods we lost sight of it.” </p><p>“What can you tell me about the mage?” Geralt asked. </p><p>Konrad rubbed his face again and straightened. The questions seemed to help him focus.</p><p>“He didn’t really come down to the town here,” Konrad said with a shrug. “Sometimes he’d send someone to get work done from me. Paid well, and gave me something interesting to do aside from plows and horseshoes. I haven’t gotten a commission from him for a while, though. Figured he moved on. Or maybe got himself into some trouble he couldn’t get out of.” </p><p>He turned to point to the edge of town. “See that path over there? His manor was at the top of the hill just beyond that. All you needed to do to find it was to follow the road behind the old mill.”</p><p>“You said you weren’t anywhere near his manor?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Konrad reached for the pitcher and poured himself a cup of something that looked like water. “We were at the northern slope of the Small Sister. That mountain has a few small streams running on the northern side that tend to swell up if there were heavy rains. That’s where the slide we were looking at happened.” He shook his head and looked towards the woods. “The mage’s manor, or maybe what’s left of it, if the mage is gone, is on the slope of the Big Sister.” He shook his head again, as if trying to chase away the memory. “It’s almost a day’s walk away.”</p><p>Eskel took a good look up at the foothills and made some quick mental calculations. He and Geralt had their horses, so they’d make much better time than if they were walking. Plus, even if they did have to dismount, witchers moved faster and with more endurance than a regular human, by a large margin. He was confident they could make it up to the mage’s garden in half a day or less.</p><p>The smith’s story was both good and bad. Good, because it meant that they would probably be able to go and gather what they wanted without any worries about appeasing an owner. Bad, because it sounded like there was <i>something</i> going on up there to deal with. Maybe more than one kind of something too. </p><p>Even worse, it worried Eskel that the place of incident was so far away from the manor itself. Coming to think of it, it did seem to be a pattern. There were hotspots of activity all over the woods, and while it was common to have a dangerous place or two around towns, this seemed excessive for an obviously well-to-do town. There should be bounties up for whatever was haunting the woods, and it was incredibly odd that there weren’t. </p><p>If they looked poorer, maybe struggling to make ends meet, with homes in disrepair, he could see no one willing or able to put up a reward for clearing monsters out. But everywhere he looked there were signs of prosperity. Homes had well kept flower beds and abundant herb and vegetable gardens. People's clothes fit well and were in good repair. No one looked skinny enough to be starving. There were horses and farm animals aplenty on the fields.</p><p>It was odd.</p><p>Eskel nodded to the smith. </p><p>“Thanks for the information. We appreciate it,” he said, then he turned and mounted up.</p><p>Before Eskel could turn and ride off, Geralt nudged Roach closer a step and leaned over his saddle to look at what Konrad was working on.</p><p>“Those horseshoes,” Geralt said, pointing to the pile. “It’s an awful lot of them for one carriage.”</p><p>“Not if it’s an eight horse carriage,” Konrad said looking at the mauled shoe on the anvil. It was obvious he would have to redo it. “Damn.”</p><p>“That’s common around here?” he asked. “Eight horses I mean.”</p><p>Konrad snorted.</p><p>“No way,” he shook his head and put the shoe into the fire. “Even Barnaby Senior only had the two greys in his wedding carriage. But his marriage was prosperous, his fields fertile and he can afford to hire horses from Little Bend to carry his firstborn to the church. That man adores his son, I can tell you that.” Now Konrad smiled a little. “It’s a good chap too, hard working, very soft on his bride. You know he came to commission windchimes for that sweetheart of his? People rarely ask me to do stuff that’s not for farming.”</p><p>Both Eskel and Geralt exchanged a surprised look. That was a heck of a lot of wealth for a small town like this. </p><p>“Impressive,” Eskel said, not being facetious in the least. </p><p>“So this wedding is gonna be a big thing, huh?” Geralt asked.</p><p>Eskel shot him a glare, but Geralt didn’t look the least bit like he was teasing at all. Maybe he was trying to make up for poking fun at Eskel earlier by asking some questions himself. </p><p>Or maybe the questions were another type of teasing for Eskel. It was hard to tell. </p><p>Konrad nodded. “It’ll be talked about for years, I’m sure. There’s rumors of ten whole baked pigs and old Mary said she saw a cart full of wine barrels come through this last week, heading straight for Barnaby’s house. It’s going to be the biggest event this town ever saw.”</p><p>“This Barnaby, he a local?”</p><p>Konrad nodded.</p><p>“Born and bred,” he smiled a little. “His father was a respected man, but very stern. Barnaby Senior is a good man, not only a good Elder but also helped a lot of folks you know? After my brother…” He swallowed. “After, I wasn’t much in a condition to work for a while. People started taking their business to the next town over and by the time I felt better, people already got used to avoiding my forge. Money got really tight. Barnaby came to me, ordered all of the hinges on his windows replaced and horses reshod. Told everybody I did a good job.” Konrad was looking at his hands then, speaking quietly. “Thing is, <i>wasn’t</i> a good job. I wasn’t all that well then, not yet and my hands were shaky a lot. Besides, his horses didn’t need reshoeing. He just did that so that people started to trust me again.”</p><p>“Seems like a good man,” Geralt said with a familiar, sweet tone of voice that instantly raised Eskel’s suspicions. “Seems very affluent too. All that work he had you do must have cost a lot.” Geralt leaned in lowering his voice to create a more intimate space, one suitable for sharing secrets. It was something they were taught as young lads at Kaer Morhen. People were afraid of speaking secrets out loud, were more likely to whisper them instead. “He must have been a very talented businessman his whole life to amass his wealth.”</p><p>Konrad frowned.</p><p>“One would think,” he said slowly. “He was always a fair man, but we all thought it was his missus that had the real head for business. But a few years back he really showed what he’s worth.” He shrugged. “Maybe he just needed an opportunity.”</p><p>“Opportunity?” Geralt asked, leading him on perfectly. </p><p>“He makes dyes you know? Business never really picked up around the place, Brooks Edge had a long history of dye making and contracts with the crown they jealously guarded, but then around five, maybe six years ago he said he got a big contract all the way in Velen. Money’s been coming in steadily since then.”</p><p>“Smart business.” Geralt nodded. </p><p>“Yeah,” Konrad nodded again. “He helped a lot of people around town. I hope his son lives up to his name.”</p><p>“Going back to the mage,” Eskel asked, already seeing where Geralt was aiming for. He didn’t want Geralt to ask any question that would make the smith wary of him so Eskel decided to ask the question he was sure Geralt was interested in. “When did you say was the last time anybody saw him?”</p><p>Konrad scratched his chin, scrunching up his face in through.</p><p>“I… I’m not sure, but maybe ten years ago? Or eight? He was never one to slum it up with the locals, so it’s hard to say when he stopped appearing. Not that he did it much anyway. Tended to get most of his stuff from the big cities. We only got commissions for the small stuff, like fixing some gardening tools and such. He’d hire me for a few more interesting things, from time to time. Sprinklers and such. I think the last time was around eight years ago, yes, when Molly just had her first baby. I haven’t seen him since, but it wasn’t like he commissioned something every week, so.” He spread his hands in a gesture of surrender. “I can’t really say for sure.”</p><p>“Did anything of note happen then?”</p><p>Konrad looked at Eskel oddly.</p><p>“Of note?”</p><p>“Strange weather, storms, lightning or maybe noises? Anything that would indicate something happened to the mage?”</p><p>Konrad shook his head.</p><p>“We just kind of assumed he went away. Not like he was ever one of us, you know?”</p><p>“Yes,” Eskel said heartfeltly, thinking of the sorceresses and their usual way of keeping to their own circles. “I know.”</p><p>Geralt gave him a hairy eyeball for that but refrained from saying anything. He was still leaning in towards Konrad, subtly curving his shoulders in and lowering his head to make himself look smaller, less intimidating. He wasn’t going to say anything that broke the fragile sense of camaraderie they built up.</p><p>“Do you remember anything odd or unusual happening since the last time you took a commission from him?”</p><p>Konrad scratched his chin again, leaving black smudges of dirt on it.</p><p>“Not really. There was this massive storm around five years ago, half the fields ended up underwater and most of that year's harvest was shot to hell. Oh, and a big damn part of the eastern side of the Big Sister mountain suffered a landslide from all the rain. Good hunting grounds were lost. Not a good year for the town I tell you. It was only thanks to Barnaby that we didn’t starve that following winter. He bought grain for the town on credit, from his own money you know? And he let people take years to pay him off, no interest too! That’s why we made him the Elder. He clearly has the good of the whole town at heart, not just his own family.”</p><p>“A rare trait indeed.” Eskel hummed, not quite believing the altruism. Eh, maybe he was just being cynical.</p><p>“Your town lucked out with a man like that.” Geralt nodded, sounding much more convinced.</p><p>Konrad rubbed his gloved hand over his short, dark hair. There were a few strands of gray visible at his temples. </p><p>“You really going to go into the forest?” the smith asked quietly. His eyes darted from the anvil to Eskel and then back down. “I didn’t see any contracts on the board…” he trailed off, this time casting a furtive glance towards Geralt. </p><p>“We have a different contract,” Eskel said. It wouldn’t do to let people think they were going to exterminate the monsters for free. </p><p>“For the mage, huh?” Konrad seemed to slump in place, his big shoulders lowering as if in defeat.</p><p>“Did your brother have any identifiable marks that would survive this long? Jewelry?” Geralt asked suddenly.</p><p>Konrad looked at him with hope in his eyes.</p><p>“Er… maybe the flask? He won it playing cards with a rich merchant once. It was metal but it had beautiful etching of a tree blooming on the front and a winter image of the same tree on the back.”</p><p>“We don’t work for free,” Eskel said before Geralt managed to offer more.</p><p>Konrad swallowed, shifted in place and rubbed his neck.</p><p>“I don’t have much,” Konrad said. “All I want is to know my brother was laid to rest, you know? Just that. He might not have been the best of men, but he doesn’t deserve to just rot in that forest forever. If you bury him, I will give you what I can and I will take care of your horses or any repairs to your gear for free.”</p><p>Eskel considered the offer. The money would probably be a paltry amount, knowing their luck, but the offer for fixes could turn out to be a valuable one. Not every town had its own smith. And in those that had, the craftsmen often cited steep prices for their services.</p><p>“Deal,” Geralt said, straightening, and Eskel had to lock his expression not to give Geralt a glare where Konrad might see. </p><p>“Thank you, Master Witchers,” Konrad said, sounding relieved and Eskel had to fight not to snort. Now they were ‘Master Witchers’, when he needed them to do something for him.</p><p>They said their farewells and then Eskel prodded Geralt out of town before he could make them any more <i>deals</i>.</p><p>--</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>--</p>
<p>Rather than start in towards the mage’s compound right away, Eskel and Geralt rode in that direction for an hour or two and then found a place to camp for the night. Eskel hadn’t forgotten that Geralt said he needed sleep now to really feel refreshed, and both of them prefered the idea of tackling the potentially dangerous woods at the beginning of the day rather than just as night fell.</p>
<p>After they set up camp and made some dinner, Geralt knelt and meditated for a few hours. While the sleep would be good for him, meditating for at least part of that time would help increase his internal balance, further moving him towards a point where the sleep would become a luxury and not a necessity. It would be good for his stamina, too.</p>
<p>Eskel didn’t mind taking the bulk of the night watch. He still had a lot to think about, and he only needed an hour or two of meditation to feel ready for the next day’s work. Having Geralt there meant that breakfast was ready for him when he finally became properly awake in the morning.</p>
<p>It was the heavenly smell of cooking meat that urged Eskel out of his meditation. </p>
<p>He blinked a few times, and noted that the sun was just rising up over the trees off in the distance. Geralt was sitting across the fire from him, and several small birds had been plucked and roasted over the fire. There was a kettle of hot tea brewing as well. </p>
<p>“Nice,” Eskel said quietly, nodding at the food. He shifted around to sit a little more comfortably on his bedroll. While he was used to kneeling for hours on end and it didn’t truly bother him to do so, it was still nice to lounge a bit. </p>
<p>The sharp edge of hunger ate into his stomach like acid and the early morning chill did nothing to sweeten his mood. Gods, but it shouldn’t be this cold out.</p>
<p>It <i>wasn’t</i> this cold out, he reminded himself. He just <i>felt</i> cold. That was probably why the fire Geralt built was just big enough to cook their food, rather than large enough to put off any serious heat. </p>
<p>
  <i>More’s the pity.</i>
</p>
<p>For his part, Geralt looked perfectly comfortable. That probably meant the weather was mild enough that he hadn’t noticed. Odd for this time of year, really. Even this far north, it got warm enough in the summer that even the early morning offered little relief. Maybe the chill that Eskel felt wasn’t entirely because of the blocked bond between him and Alcuard. </p>
<p>“Morning,” Geralt said easily. “Food’s almost done. Pick your bird.”</p>
<p>“Pigeon?” Eskel asked, scooting closer to the little fire. He hoped that Geralt would think he was just choosing his breakfast and not huddling near the fire because he was <i>fucking freezing</i>. </p>
<p>“Pheasant,” Geralt replied, and gestured to a little nearby clearing. “From the field there. I saw some taking flight a little earlier and figured we could use the fresh meat.”</p>
<p>Eskel gratefully poured himself a cup of tea and wrapped his hands around it, clutching it close. Not that it would do him much good, but he couldn’t quite stop himself from doing so. </p>
<p>“Thanks.” Eskel raised his cup up a bit in salute.</p>
<p>“No problem.” Then Geralt frowned a little. “You cold?”</p>
<p>“Nah.” Eskel kept his emotions off of his face and sipped at his drink. “Hot tea is just nice, is all.” Before Geralt could do more than give him a long look, Eskel pointed at the cooking birds. “Those done?”</p>
<p>“Should be by now,” Geralt said, and reached over to grab a skewer. With one finger, he poked at the bird, pulling apart some of the meat a little to see inside. “Huh, yeah. Done and already cool enough to eat.”</p>
<p>Hunger cramped at Eskel’s stomach again and he grabbed a skewer. Then he nearly dropped the damn thing on the ground because the wood was scorchingly hot. He gave Geralt a sharp look.</p>
<p>“Very funny Geralt,” he grumbled. He passed the skewer back and forth between his hands for a moment, and blew on it, hoping to cool it down enough to hold it easily. What was even more frustrating was knowing that despite the fact that his hands were actually burning just a tiny bit, he <i>still</i> felt fucking cold. </p>
<p>Magic was bullshit.</p>
<p>Rather than tease him more, Geralt just looked at him funny and took a bite from his bird.</p>
<p>It seemed like Geralt was picking up Dracula’s sense of humor. </p>
<p>Eventually the meat did cool off enough that he could eat it. Geralt’s share must have been taken off the heat before Eskel’s, because he ate it while Eskel’s was too hot to touch. He’d moved on to organizing his potion satchel while he waited for Eskel to finish.</p>
<p>His collection was kind of pitiful. Even from a distance Eskel could tell it was missing several rare, and by extension most valuable, potions. Granted, Geralt’s garden in the castle grew all kinds of things, but that didn’t make up for the other types of ingredients that their potions often required. Eskel’s own satchel was twice as well equipped. He wasn’t going to mention Lambert’s. That man had two such bags; one he called ‘the witcher one’ and one he called the ‘real’ one. Eskel lived in terror of ever having those new potions tested out on him. There were stories, terrifying stories, about Lambert’s creations.</p>
<p>Well, maybe this little trip would have a positive impact on Geralt’s stock as well as netting him something good to give Dracula. </p>
<p>“You’re kind of in charge of this little trip, so where do you want to hit up first?” Geralt asked once Eskel had finished eating. “The mill or the mage’s manor?”</p>
<p>“Mill, I think. Since we’ve got a contract, we should do that first and then go looking for our own loot after.”</p>
<p>It went without saying that the mage’s manor was probably significantly more dangerous. Whatever protections that were left could be fairly dangerous. The mill might only have some incidental dangers. Plant monsters, as Konrad had warned about. From the description, could be echinops.</p>
<p>Echinops were poisonous. Eskel thought of Geralt’s limited potion supply. Golden Oriole, the potion that could remove poisons, required high quality alcohol, blowball flowers, and light essence, the latter generally gathered from some types of wraiths. </p>
<p>“You got extra Golden Oriole?” Eskel asked.</p>
<p>Geralt made a noise, half snort half sigh.</p>
<p>“Yes, mom,” he said, stopping to look over his shoulder at Eskel. “I got some made as soon as Alucard let me out of the bedroom.”</p>
<p>Amusement mixed in with a tiny bit of envy, though Eskel kept the envy under wraps. He snorted and shook his head. “I’m surprised they let you out at all.”</p>
<p>Then Eskel paused again.</p>
<p>“Wait, where did you get wraiths to kill?”</p>
<p>The corners of Geralt’s lips turned down. “I walked The Killer at midnight.”</p>
<p>Eskel frowned. Wraiths near Kaer Morhen, especially on the path up to the keep, were pretty unusual. </p>
<p>“How many were there? Just one or two?” Wraiths were attracted by death. Some were specifically created from people who had been killed and still had some kind of unfinished business, or other tether to reality. </p>
<p>For a moment he wondered if Dracula’s Castle had somehow attracted them, but then he thought better of it. The Killer was a tough course, and children had been running it for centuries while training as witchers. Deaths happened from time to time. That was bound to draw some ghosts. Hell, it was bound to <i>create</i> them.</p>
<p>Back when Kaer Morhen was training new witchers, the teachers likely kept The Killer and the area surrounding the keep clear of any monsters. Geralt, Eskel, Lambert, and Vesemir did the same thing later when Ciri was a child training with them. But since then there hadn’t been a lot of need to clear out any restless spirits that may have lingered or awoken. It made sense that Geralt might have run into a few while out recovering his stamina.</p>
<p>Geralt shrugged. “A few. Nothing like an infestation, but enough that I’m glad I was able to take care of the issue.”</p>
<p>Eskel nodded. “Well, good. Now I don’t have to share my stock.”</p>
<p>Though he would have in an instant and with no complaints had Geralt needed it.</p>
<p>Geralt gave him a dry look and threw a leaf at him. The thing didn’t even get close to hitting him, so Eskel felt justified in smirking condescendingly at him. </p>
<p>They cleaned up their camp, mounted up, and headed up the foothills. Since Konrad said that he and his brother were up on the northern side of the hill they called the Small Sister, that’s where they headed first. There was an old hunting track that headed up that way, so that was the path they took.</p>
<p>It was a good morning for hunting, too. Sunny, if a little cold. A small breeze blew through the branches around them, filling the air with the soft rustling of leaves. Eskel couldn’t help but compare it to how Castlevania City sounded. The city was much louder, sure, but the forest here was loud in its own way, too. He could hear deer moving off in the distance and based on the sound of the trees, he could track the light gusts of wind as they moved through the woods. Insects and birds filled the air with quiet calls. He wondered if Alucard ever noticed the difference, and if he did notice, which he prefered. Given Dracula’s distaste for Castlevania City, Eskel bet he knew which one Dracula liked best.</p>
<p>They rode for a couple of hours, making good time. The hunting path was clear of underbrush and the forest peaceful. </p>
<p>Around mid morning, they started to see signs of what must have been the old mill. Blocks of cut stone were scattered around, and overgrown with vines and moss. </p>
<p>Soon a large structure loomed beyond the treeline. It was a massive stone building built into the side of the hill. While it was mostly intact, parts had crumbled to ruin and the roof had long since rotted away. A small stream ran down near one side of the building and a massive water wheel rested in it, attached to the side of the stone building. Something must have been long broken, because the wheel didn’t spin with the flowing of the water. On a closer look they could see that the wooden parts were almost completely rotted off, and the metal corroded and holding the structure together by virtue of pure spite probably. More moss and vines covered everything and the air was ripe with the smell of water and green, growing things.  </p>
<p>One of the side walls had collapsed, letting them see the large space inside. The few ancient wooden boards that covered the floor did a poor job of covering the large hole that yawned under them. Another sniff brought the stench of rot and animal waste wafting in the light breeze. A basement, a big one judging by the smell, probably dug into the side of the hill the building was built on.</p>
<p>Geralt jumped down from his horse and splashed through the stream, getting close to the hole in the wall.</p>
<p>“It’s probably inhabited,” he said looking down.</p>
<p>Eskel did not like the idea of getting his feet wet for no reason and directed Scorpion to make her way cautiously across the small stream. The horse flicked an ear back at him in annoyance, but complied.</p>
<p>“Konrad didn’t mention any buildings when he talked about where his brother was killed. Did you want to take a look anyways?” Eskel peered into the hole in the wall.</p>
<p>Geralt hesitated.</p>
<p>“Instinct tells me there’s something toothy down there.”</p>
<p>“Seems likely.” Eskel stretched out his senses. He could just barely hear the faint sound of something moving in the dark. “Do we care?”</p>
<p>“Might as well take a look. There might be something good down there.” Geralt looked into the dimly lit interior of the building with interest.</p>
<p>Eskel shrugged. They might as well kill whatever was there. Geralt needed the practice and the materials, and it wasn’t like Eskel was in a hurry to be anywhere. There might be something worth looting inside, too, if whatever lived in there had claimed some victims already. </p>
<p>He urged Scorpion over to a clearing to the side of the building and dismounted. “Stay,” he commanded. Scorpion was well trained, as all witcher horses had to be given the regular threats they faced, so he knew he wouldn’t have to worry about her wandering off. There was enough grass here to keep her distracted while they hunted. Plus, if he needed a quick exit, he could whistle and she’d come running. Geralt brought Roach over and did the same. </p>
<p>Eskel drew his silver sword and cautiously headed back over to the mill. While Geralt was peeking around the hole in the wall, Eskel followed the building’s side and found the front door. Why trip over loose stones when a perfectly serviceable door could be used?</p>
<p>The air was wet, very wet, and bright green moss clung to everything. The inside of the mill was mostly empty of human furnishings. Years being empty and exposed to the elements were responsible for that, and what little furniture that was left strewn around was nearly rotted to nothing. </p>
<p>Some of the vines he recognized, stuff like nostrix and clematis. There were some typical water loving plants too, creeping ivy, and ferns. Mushrooms, as well. The sewant mushrooms he recognized, but there was another type that had spread all over as well. One that was an eerie light green color. It looked really familiar, but Eskel couldn’t quite place it.</p>
<p>Of the things he recognized, he harvested some. The strange green mushroom he avoided. Still, it nagged at him. Something about it set off warning bells in his head. </p>
<p>“You find anything?” Eskel called out. It had been a few minutes since he heard anything from Geralt.</p>
<p>“Huge mushrooms, small mushrooms, glowing mushrooms, twisted mushrooms and… mushrooms.” Geralt called back from his dark corner.</p>
<p>Eskel paused in his harvesting, considering.</p>
<p>“Don’t eat any.”</p>
<p>“Oh, for fuck's sake,” Geralt grumbled. “I’ve done this before you know.”</p>
<p>“Uh huh,” Eskel drawled back. Maybe he was being a little overly concerned. Geralt was well trained, even if he was still recovering his strength.</p>
<p>The Eskel paused. This was <i>Geralt</i>. The same man who could get in world-ending trouble walking to the privy. </p>
<p>Maybe he’d just keep an eye on things.</p>
<p>Eskel finished packing up his harvest into one of his belt pouches and headed into the next room over. Geralt was there packing away what he’d gathered as well, though from the looks of things he’d picked quite a bit more than Eskel had. That made sense. He had a lot of stock to replace.</p>
<p>“The castle supply you with alcohol too?” Eskel asked, curious.</p>
<p>“Eh, sometimes?” Geralt shrugged. Then he sniffed really hard and rubbed his nose. “Ug, kinda smells here doesn’t it?”</p>
<p>Eskel looked around, but didn’t really notice anything that off. There was some dust in the air, but, well, this place was a ruin. “Rotting wood. What can you do.” He shrugged.</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Geralt shook his head. “But, yeah. If I eat at the castle, it brings some pretty high quality alcohol with meals. Sometimes I ask Dracula for more, if I’m planning on brewing. But there’s not a stash of it in my garden there.” He paused and pursed his lips. “Not that I’ve found yet, anyways. I get enough to make some potions if I need.”</p>
<p>Eskel nodded. While the castle was distantly benevolent towards Eskel, it often fell all over itself to please Geralt. Even if it did so with a strange, twisting kind of logic. </p>
<p>He remembered those first three months, where the castle had been adamant on showing Geralt the new garden. It hadn’t mattered which door he opened, Geralt would always end up in the garden. The castle wouldn’t even let him back out, it would loop the reality until Geralt walked all the way through the room. Every single time, multiple times a day. </p>
<p>While the castle could be kind, it had a strange kind of ruthlessness to it.</p>
<p>So while Geralt could probably request that the castle supply some potent spirits, who knew how the castle would decide to fill that request.</p>
<p>Happily, Geralt was in the habit of scrounging his own. Witchers were always on the lookout for potent alcohol. It was the primary base for all their potions. Fortunately, it was also one of the things that happened to survive nearly any kind of disaster or monster devastation. The glass containers didn’t rot and the liquids wouldn’t go bad. And while a regular human might be wary about drinking something found in a ghoul’s nest, witchers had the nose to tell if it was drinkable and the tolerance to consume nearly anything.</p>
<p>Not that he expected any such finds to be in this particular ruin, but it was always good to keep an eye out. Since Geralt was low on potions, he’d need extra to help rebuild his supply. </p>
<p>The main floor of the building didn’t really net anything more than the herbs they’d already found, and soon enough they were standing at the stairs to the basement. Or what resembled stairs, after all the rot.</p>
<p>“You want me to go first, or do you want to?” Eskel asked. He wasn’t even teasing, not really. Geralt needed the practice, but there was no pressing need for him to head in first. Eskel, and his Quen, could take the brunt of whatever the first attack was and be none the worse for it.</p>
<p>Geralt stared down into the dim corridor. “Hm. Let me.”</p>
<p>Eskel fell back a few steps without another word. Both of them cast Quen on themselves, and then they headed down.</p>
<p>The stairs creaked under their boots, but the wood held. As they descended, sunlight fell through the holes in the floorboards above, giving their enhanced vision more than enough light to work with. The walls around them were covered with thick, plush moss and green mold, and the basement floor was covered in puddles of standing water. They were probably lucky the whole place wasn’t underwater, given the stream that ran right next to them. Old, mostly-destroyed barrels lined one wall, and the rest of the room stretched out into darkness. </p>
<p>The moment Eskel stepped foot off the stairs, his witcher medallion started to softly vibrate. Definitely a monster of some kind down here.</p>
<p>There were bones scattered around in distinctive piles. From a glance, they were from deer and other small game. Definitely a predator living here, then, and one that liked to stack the remnants of its meals into neat mounds.</p>
<p>He and Geralt didn’t speak; they didn't need to. Decades of working together made it unnecessary. They separated to cover more ground. Geralt went right. Eskel went left.</p>
<p>Something shimmered along the walls. It could have been water, dripping down from the nearby stream. It didn’t <i>look</i> like water. There was a shine to that liquid that reminded Eskel of quicksilver. But that didn’t make any damn sense. </p>
<p>Unless there was more to the rock in this area than Eskel had thought. There wasn’t any time to really investigate it; he had a monster to kill.</p>
<p>Of the bones that Eskel passed, some had small remnants of old, dried out, or rotted flesh on them, but most had been cleaned completely. The smell changed, too. There was something musky in the air, with a newfound rancidness underlying the rot and mildew scent of before.</p>
<p>He heard the crack too late.</p>
<p>His foot went through whatever he was stepping on and slid straight through the thin layer of wood flooring, leaving him off balance and trapped. His leg was stuck all the way up to the middle of the thigh and his hip ached from the way he fell. His other leg was stretched out to the side with his knee aching at the odd twist. He kept his hold on the sword; nothing short of his hands being chopped off would make him let it go. </p>
<p>He re-cast Quen just a heartbeat before the ground near his foot churned and something dark and in possession of many claws emerged. It wasn’t that big. The creature would maybe reach his waist if he was standing up. But the thing was, he <i>wasn’t</i>. He was stuck in a strange position with extremely limited movability.</p>
<p>The monster had a compact body with many limbs, all covered in chitinous shell. It swarmed up in total silence and open up its many arms to show off the multiple rows of teeth in the center of its body.</p>
<p>Eskel had fought a lot of insectoids in his life, but this thing was something <i>new</i>. It had too many legs, and way too fucking many teeth. A dull sort of terror radiated off of it, a palpable aura of fear that had Eskel baring his teeth in defiance.</p>
<p>He swung his sword at it, but his reach was shit and the thing skittered back before coming back and aiming at his leg again. The Quen flared under the impact of those knife-like limbs. It held. Eskel had expected it to. He knew that it could survive a much harder blow than this.</p>
<p>That gave him an idea. He was stuck, yes, but his Quen was a little better than the average witcher, and he’d been experimenting with his signs for a long, long time. </p>
<p>He cast Quen on himself, but held the casting around him rather than releasing the sign right away. The air around him glowed gold as energy swirled around him in a protective shell. When the monster moved in to strike again, not only did its teeth skitter off of his shield, but the energy that blow generated looped back into Eskel, flooding his system and healing him of the little hurts that the fall through the floor had caused. </p>
<p>That respite was enough that he could shift and wriggle around, beginning the process of easing himself out of the hole. </p>
<p>On the second strike from the monster, Eskel released his shield, causing an outward explosion of power. The monster was forced back several feet and it cried out in pain.</p>
<p>That was when Geralt jumped in, though with an Igni sign rather than melee with his sword. </p>
<p>The moment Eskel felt the stirrings of Igni in the air, a tiny flutter of panic ripped through him. Geralt’s Igni was <i>ridiculously</i> powerful ever since he’d made his bond with Dracula. He hadn’t been a slouch at it before, but now it was just comically powerful for a witcher.</p>
<p>Eskel just managed to toss up another Quen before fire flooded the room, sending the monster screaming back. It thrashed and burned, even with the soaked wood and puddles of stagnant water all around. The stench of rank, burning insect flesh mixed in with the chokingly awful smell of sizzling rotted wood.</p>
<p>With as much speed as he could muster, Eskel pulled himself up out of the little sinkhole his leg was stuck in; it was probably some kind of trap laid by the monster. An easy way to keep prey in place if something managed to wander in. His Quen kept the flames at bay, but they weren’t letting up.</p>
<p>“Well that’s just fucking great,” Eskel bitched, quickly scrambling backwards towards the stairs. Geralt was right there with him, moving backwards as well. Neither one of them wanted to take their eyes off the quickly dying insectoid monster, but the walls and the ceiling had caught fire. Even the mold was burning.</p>
<p>“I thought the water would limit it!” Geralt defended, looking sheepish. There was the faint golden glow of a Quen shield around him, as well, though it looked like it was flickering already. </p>
<p>Time to get out.</p>
<p>“Just feel fucking lucky that there isn’t any explosive gas down here,” Eskel snapped. That kind of thing gathered in caves a lot, especially where monsters and various types of mushrooms grew. </p>
<p>A loud <i>boom</i> rocked the building, and another gout of flame filled the air around them.</p>
<p>“<i>Motherfucker</i>!” Eskel grabbed Geralt’s shoulder, and the two of them fled up the quickly disintegrating stairs. In seconds they were through the main floor, and out the nearest hole in the wall. Neither one of them stopped running until they were well on the other side of the clearing, near where Scorpion and Roach were grazing. </p>
<p>It was a good thing, too, because a second boom rocked the ground and the stone walls of the mill. Then there was a third, and the mill <i>exploded</i>. </p>
<p>A great wave of flame plumed up into the sky followed by a thick black mushroom cloud. Eskel cast his Quen again, this time including Geralt and the horses in his shield too. Bits of shrapnel rained down from the sky; some pieces were as small as little bits of wood and others were whole stone blocks. The sheer amount of heat that the blaze put off even made Eskel feel warm for a minute.</p>
<p>If the monster was screaming under all that fire, or even still alive, Eskel couldn’t hear it at all past the roar of the explosion. </p>
<p>A large bit of insectoid monster leg landed in front of them in the clearing. Actually… it was odd that there weren’t more limbs littered around. Maybe they were hanging up in the trees? He discarded the idea as unimportant.</p>
<p>“I suppose that’s one way to kill something, Wolf,” Eskel said with a dry, unimpressed look towards Geralt.</p>
<p>Geralt had his face in his hands.</p>
<p>“I mean,” Eskel continued mercilessly. “Stabbing it would have been good, or crushing it with Aard. Hell, kicking it hard enough would probably work, too.”</p>
<p>“Please,” Geralt said, lowering his hands.</p>
<p>Eskel was not in a forgiving mood. “Fire, though. Fire was liable to kill all of us in that small room filled with old wood and dead foliage.” </p>
<p>“Eskel, what will it take for you to never, ever speak of this again?” Geralt asked desperately, rubbing a bit of sooth away from his cheek.</p>
<p>Eskel thought it over for a moment. On one hand, this was prime material for mockery. On the other hand, Geralt had been pretty relaxed about all the marks that Eskel had shown up with after spending time with Dracula. That was bound to get worse over time. It was pure luck that no one but the succubi were around to see him this past week. </p>
<p>“Keep Lambert from making a million ‘bad witcher’ jokes when he finally sees all the bites I end up with.” Eskel looked at Geralt out of the corner of his eye, almost glaring at him. Daring him to say something about it.</p>
<p>Geralt just gave him a puzzled look. “Is it really gonna be that bad?” He gestured at Eskel’s neck where a faint bruise was still visible. “I mean, you’ve had bites before.”</p>
<p>Now it was Eskel’s turn to rub his face with his hand. “Yeah. Probably.”</p>
<p>He thought about how the bites this past week covered his neck and shoulders, and spread down across his chest and torso and down one leg. Given that whole experience, Eskel knew damn well that future… experiments with Dracula would only end in even more marks and bites. Yeah. He was going to get shit for that, one way or another. He might as well make himself feel better by throwing Geralt under the wagon, as well. Vesemir might talk a little shit, but Lambert was as salty as they came. Having Geralt help keep that reaction down to something more manageable would be a relief. </p>
<p>Eskel was suddenly struck by the thought that Dracula didn’t like it when the marks healed. If Dracula bit and marked Eskel up as much as Eskel suspected he might, there was no way that moving at all would be fun. Not for days after… whatever it was they ended up doing. This past week, Dracula had gone so far as to hide Eskel’s potions so he couldn’t heal faster. Hell, Dracula had even used his power to make some of the marks last far more than they should have. </p>
<p>Maybe he should come up with some kind of pain killing salve. Something that would at least make his rest a little more comfortable, without doing much else. Dracula, and Eskel too if he was being honest with himself, could enjoy the marks, and he wouldn’t be a mass of aches and pains for days.</p>
<p>“How bad can it be?” Geralt waved a dismissive hand. “You are a witcher, a few hours and the marks will be gone anyway. Just don’t wander around.”</p>
<p>Eskel looked at him, and he could feel his face grow cold and his eyes get a touch wide. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. </p>
<p>He snapped his mouth shut and stared at the fire. Geralt was probably right. Eskel was a witcher. What were a few bites to him?</p>
<p>A few dozen bites. Several dozen, probably.</p>
<p>He sighed. </p>
<p>“I think…” Eskel said slowly, quietly. “I think you and I have vastly different experiences with Dracula.”</p>
<p>At this point, the fire had died down to a low smoldering. Eskel dropped the Quen he held over them all and headed back towards the smoking remains. As much as he didn’t really give a shit about this decrepit building getting burned down, he had absolutely no interest in accidentally starting a forest fire. Especially when he was planning on being in said forest for the foreseeable future. </p>
<p>So he walked the perimeter of the smoking remains and cast Aard over and over, letting the impact of the magic put out what little flames remained.</p>
<p>As they worked, a strange dizziness pestered at Eskel’s awareness. It wasn’t enough to worry him; few injuries were really enough to worry him. </p>
<p><i>Probably just the fumes from the explosion</i>, he thought to himself, and shook his head to clear it. The crater that used to be the mill was billowing weirdly metallic smoke. It reminded Eskel of the quicksilver he’d seen along the walls in the basement. The eddies and swirls of it were mesmerizing.</p>
<p><i>Stay on fucking task, witcher</i>. Eskel shook his head again. Yeah, this was probably just some weirdness from whatever compounds had been burnt up. There had been a lot of herbs in this wreck of a building. That had to be why the smoke looked weird. A quick Swallow would take care of any lingering damage from inhaling it.</p>
<p>Putting out the remaining fire didn’t take long. His Aard was strong, and he could cover a lot of ground with a single cast. </p>
<p>Geralt mirrored him from the other side, also casting Aard. Eskel noticed that after Geralt’s sign put out the fire, the remnants didn’t even smolder.</p>
<p>“When you say different experiences,” Geralt said cautiously, coming closer to Eskel, “what exactly do you mean?”</p>
<p>Eskel had to look away for a moment, hiding his expression while he gathered his thoughts. Then he glanced back at Geralt. Eskel wasn’t trying for the blank neutrality that he used nearly all the time while out on the Path, but he kept his features and his body as calm and relaxed as he could. Geralt was his friend, his brother. He didn’t need to be anxious about talking to him, even with so personal a subject.</p>
<p>“When you and Dracula fuck, how many times does he bite you? Does he feed from you? Mark you?” A light blush crossed Eskel’s cheeks, but he kept his words even. Given how much both Geralt and Alucard liked to overshare, Eskel already had a good idea of the answer to that question. But he wanted Geralt to think about it.</p>
<p>Geralt scratched his chin. “A few times? He only really feeds at the end. He does sometimes like to just play with pushing his fangs in. Kinda hot, really.”</p>
<p>Eskel nodded at that. It was hot. More so now than it had been a few months ago, Eskel was sure. Probably just because his views on the whole process had grown and changed. </p>
<p>“Why do you think that is? Just because he likes to drink from you? Maybe mark his territory a little?” The blush on Eskel’s face grew more uncomfortable. He’d never really engaged Geralt like this on this subject. When Geralt brought it up, mostly Eskel just tried to drink and get through the information dump. </p>
<p>Right now, he needed Geralt to think things through. </p>
<p>“It’s another way to fuck me,” Geralt said easily, bluntly. “Cock or fangs, anything he can get inside me is fair game.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Eskel could see that. “Now remember that I haven’t fucked Dracula. That I’ve flat refused him for over a year. Add in what I told you a few days ago about how…” He grit his teeth a little and raised his chin. “How I give in to him, and how that brings out his… possessive nature. What do you think Dracula would do?”</p>
<p>Geralt stared at him for a moment, uncomprehending, and then the light started to dawn in his eyes.</p>
<p>“... Oh.” </p>
<p>They were both quiet for a long moment.</p>
<p>“He can read you, when he drinks from you,” Geralt said after a moment. “Not sure how deep that goes for us. He can get inside Alucard’s head when they share blood. You and I aren’t connected to him like that so there’s probably less impact but… yeah, I can see why he wants to drink from you when you get like that for him.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Eskel said quietly, looking at the ground. “He-- He makes them last longer. Or he’s trying to. The marks, I mean. And there are a lot of them.” He shook his head. “Probably not enough to kill a regular human, but add in the blood loss and the sheer number of bites…”</p>
<p>“When you say sheer number, how many do you mean?” Geralt spoke softly, not quite looking at Eskel. </p>
<p>The effort was appreciated. This whole conversation was awkward enough without eye contact. </p>
<p>Eskel furrowed his brow as he tried to add them up. There were at least half a dozen on his leg. Maybe ten or more. Bites littered the skin across his neck and shoulders, and it took a minute to count them up. Then there were all the marks on his chest; places where Dracula hadn’t really fed, but just wanted to bite. Most of them actually broke skin, but some were just sucked in bruises. Or they were both, bruises and bites.</p>
<p>He glanced sideways as he ran through the numbers in his mind.</p>
<p>“Not more than fifty?” he hazarded. “I think?”</p>
<p>Geralt opened his mouth. Then closed it. Then opened it again.</p>
<p>“You…” Geralt trailed off and stared at Eskel for a bit longer. “... Are not joking,” he finished with no little shock.</p>
<p>“He didn’t feed from all of those,” Eskel said quickly, trying to reassure him. “Maybe only a quarter of them.”</p>
<p>“He usually doesn’t,” Geralt said as if on autopilot, his voice distant. “Fifty.” It sounded as if his brain had gotten stuck on the number.</p>
<p>“It’s gonna be worse if we do more. He was holding back,” Eskel muttered.</p>
<p>“That is definitely not my experience with him,” Geralt admitted, shaking his head like a dog shaking off water. “Do you want me to talk to him? About the biting?” Then he grimaced. “It’s not like he <i>needs</i> to feed, he just likes it.”</p>
<p>A pained half-smirk crossed Eskel’s face and his heart swelled a bit. Geralt really would step in if Eskel needed him to.</p>
<p>He looked at Geralt. “I appreciate the offer but, uh, I don’t mind it.” His cheeks felt tender and a little bit hot with blushes. “Especially when it’s happening. It’s…” He took a slow breath to steady himself. “Really good, actually. Leaves me pretty, well, sore afterwards, though. And I really wasn’t joking when I said he was holding back. I’m pretty sure that’s probably gonna get worse if we do more.”</p>
<p>“He likes to escalate, yeah,” Geralt admitted. “Wow,” he added almost immediately after, looking as if the words escaped against his will.</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Eskel nodded and shifted in place. </p>
<p>“I think I’m jealous,” Geralt admitted finally.</p>
<p>Eskel snorted. “All you have to do is ask him. You know he’d be thrilled to get his teeth in you even more.”</p>
<p>“I think I might,” Geralt nodded. “I wonder if Alucard can be talked into helping.”</p>
<p>A deep shudder ran through Eskel at that thought and he had to turn away again. Fuck, but he <i>wanted that</i>. A hundred vicious, cutting remarks sprang to mind. Sarcastic comments about how at least Geralt gets the <i>option</i> to touch Alucard at all.</p>
<p>But Geralt didn’t deserve that. Not even a little. Lashing out like that would be unfair to everyone involved. Eskel and Alucard had their own issues, and that whole clusterfuck had nothing to do with Geralt. </p>
<p>Eskel swallowed hard. Twice. And then licked his lips, giving himself time to compose himself. </p>
<p>“He’d probably be game,” Eskel said finally. If his voice was a little rough, well, his voice was always rough. Compliments of the scarring on his throat. </p>
<p>“I don’t know,” Geralt frowned. “He only ever bit me up the once, and he didn’t drink then.”</p>
<p>“Start small. Ask for just the marks. Ask them both at the same time. Dracula will probably egg Alucard into sucking over the cuts he’s already made.” </p>
<p>Eskel shoved his emotions in a tiny box and buried it away. This was fine. They were just talking about something as mundane as the weather. Just more random relationship advice. Never mind that he’d felt Alucard’s mouth on his neck once already before, licking and sucking at the still healing bites from Dracula’s feeding. But that was before their unfortunate bonding accident, and before Alucard started avoiding him.</p>
<p>Geralt looked thoughtful. He shook his head slowly. “I think that is something reserved more for you than for me. That one time, Alucard was feeling unreasonably possessive and I got the feeling he regretted his lack of control later.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Eskel said sadly. Alucard probably regretted most of what they did, too.</p>
<p>Then Geralt brightened suddenly. “Then again, we are bound to stumble onto one of them sooner or later again. Dracula, probably. He likes to show up in the middle of my hunts. Maybe I’ll get a chance to talk the idea over with him sooner rather than later.”</p>
<p>He seemed pretty pleased by that prospect. Given what that ‘conversation’ likely involved, Eskel could guess why.</p>
<p>“I mean, eventually, yes. Seems likely,” Eskel said dryly. “At the very least, we’ll head back to Kaer Morhen at some point. Dracula has been hanging around there.”</p>
<p>Geralt nodded. “Yeah. I still don’t know how to feel about the castle all around Kaer Morhen.”</p>
<p>“I think I’m more annoyed at Henselt’s military bullshit around the outside than I am the castle itself,” Eskel grumbled. “Though it’s weird to be encircled like that. The buildings and the walls. Kaer Morhen has always been quiet. Now…”</p>
<p>He shrugged. It wasn’t like the keep was noisy now. Dracula’s city didn’t give off sound like Castlevania City did, and Dracula’s minions kept away from the keep and the forest around it. Mostly. It was still weird to know they were there. To see the lights in the distance along the mountains around them at night.</p>
<p>“Did you hear the reason why he placed the keep in the castle in this particular place?” Geralt asked.</p>
<p>Eskel looked at him and shook his head. “I mean, we all guessed it was because of what happened to you, but I don’t know that I heard him specifically say that was why.”</p>
<p>“Well, yeah, he wanted a safe space but also, he thought it was cute to have his witchers have a nice little valley to <i>run around in</i>,” Geralt huffed, laughter underscoring his voice.</p>
<p><i>Of course</i>. </p>
<p>Eskel rubbed his eyes and sighed. He didn’t know how to feel about Dracula planning a witcher wildlife preserve. </p>
<p>“Yeah. Yeah, that sounds like him.” He shook his head and waved towards the horses. “Come on, let’s head up towards the landslide area. See if we can find any remnants of Konrad’s brother.”</p>
<p>He grabbed Scorpion’s reins and led her around the ruins of the mill and farther up the little mountain. </p>
<p>“Konrad said this trail back here would eventually lead up to the mage’s place.” Eskel scanned the area, noting the slope of the hills. “I think we need to look up this way for his brother’s body. He said he was on the north side of the Small Sister, and the mage’s manor was on the side of the next hill over.”</p>
<p>“There’s probably not much of him anyway,” Geralt said. “Going to be a real treasure hunt.” He approached Roach but the mare skittered away from him. Eskel watched as the man and the horse engaged in a silent dance where Geralt made a step towards Roach’ side while the mare shifted away at the same time.</p>
<p>“Oh come on!” Geralt complained, finally grabbing the lead and holding the horse still. Roach let him climb up but she snorted unhappily at him.</p>
<p>Amazing. </p>
<p>Eskel wanted to say that the horse was just skittish from the fire, but he knew better. How Geralt always got these beasts that liked to screw around with him, Eskel had no idea. But it was a consistent enough trait that he had to think it was something wrong with Geralt and not with his horses.</p>
<p>He mounted up himself, and then the two of them ambled up the hillside. Geralt fell in behind Eskel without a word. Their pace was slow, but that was mostly because they were looking for signs of the landslide that Konrad and Janek had been investigating for ore. Eskel also kept up careful awareness of his surroundings, just in case they ran into something nasty as they rode.</p>
<p>The woods certainly were odd here. More than once, Eskel had caught sight of something moving in the corner of his eye. The bright summer sun cast strange shadows in the leaves. They <i>moved</i> in a way that he didn’t expect, especially close to what was left of the mill. It made the hair on the back of Eskel’s neck stand up. The only reason he wasn’t more worried was because his medallion rested quietly on his chest the whole way. </p>
<p>No wonder the locals thought that the forest was haunted. </p>
<p>Eskel kept his guard up. Just in case. If he spent most of the ride running a finger over the hilt of one of his knives, that was just because the butter soft feel of the pommel was soothing to his nerves. It wasn’t that he was <i>nervous</i>.</p>
<p>Nothing like smooth, soft, silky steel. This was a damn nice knife. He was glad that he’d packed it for this trip.</p>
<p>It only took about another half hour, maybe forty-five minutes, before they started to see old signs of the landslide. It had been a few years, so small saplings had started to spring up in the cleared ground, but there were still old dead logs and piles of rock from the displaced earth scattered around. </p>
<p>Eskel heard a distant howl or two, but the wolves kept their distance. He didn’t think it would stay that way for long. Those beasts always attacked, even when Eskel would be willing to let beasts be. Not that it did them any good. Wolves weren’t any match for an experienced witcher, even a particularly large pack.</p>
<p>As they continued on, Eskel started to notice more of those odd light-green mushrooms. Curious. He’d thought that maybe the stagnant water in the mill’s basement had encouraged growth, but clearly just the damp forest floor was enough to let them spread. </p>
<p>He still couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d seen them before. </p>
<p>More vines started to show up in the trees around them as well, and soon enough Eskel pulled Scorpion to a stop and dismounted. Time to start taking a closer look at things. The death had happened too long ago for there to be anything like a fresh track, so his next best bet would be to look for signs of plant monsters living nearby. </p>
<p>Echinops and their nasty cousins, Archspores, were cursed things. They sprouted up where something truly terrible had happened, generally feeding off the bones of the dead. The evidence of the landslide was devastating enough that Eskel didn’t have any trouble believing that there were deaths involved. </p>
<p>Though… maybe the mage was to blame. According to the letter on the back of the map, the mage was particularly fond of tinkering with plants. Maybe he created something and it got out of hand. Wouldn’t be the first time that had happened.</p>
<p>As they walked along, Geralt paused to harvest more plants from time to time. Eskel didn’t bother. He had enough stock. He kept his pace slow so Geralt had time to get what he needed, though. They’d probably spend some time later brewing new potions up; Geralt would need all that he could get. </p>
<p>“You know what these are?” Geralt asked. He had one of those green mushrooms in hand and was giving it a sniff. “It smells really familiar.”</p>
<p>“I dunno. But, yeah, I got the same feeling.” Eskel shrugged. </p>
<p>While both of them were very knowledgeable, it was hardly unheard of for them to run into something new. Or something they’d forgotten about. Their memories were <i>very</i> good, but not perfect. Geralt’s even less so. Eskel knew he still had some pretty substantial gaps in his long term memory because of the amnesia. </p>
<p>Geralt wrapped the mushroom up and stowed it in his herb pouch. “I’ll ask Vesemir next time I’m back at Kaer Morhen. He’ll probably know.”</p>
<p>Eskel turned his attention back to the ground in front of them. He’d only taken three steps before he heard Geralt give a short, surprised yell, quickly followed by a crash.</p>
<p>In a heartbeat, Eskel had spun around, silver sword unsheathed in his hand. </p>
<p>But there was no monster. Just Geralt, face first on the forest floor. </p>
<p>The shadows around them writhed for a moment, like they were alive. Eskel squinted at them. That had to be a trick of the light.</p>
<p>“Did you… did you just trip and fall?” Eskel asked, incredulous. He looked around, his mouth slightly open in shock. Maybe searching for something to explain that, but probably just in disbelief. What the <i>fuck</i>. </p>
<p>He looked up at the forest canopy to check the angle of the sun, half-expecting something wild to be happening in the sky to make the shadows of the vines go crazy like that. But there was nothing.</p>
<p>Weird.</p>
<p>Geralt was quiet for a while, not moving from his sprawl.</p>
<p>“... No.”</p>
<p>“Oh, for fucking fuck’s sake.” Eskel pinched the bridge of his nose. Hard. “You have got to be fucking kidding me.”</p>
<p>There was some shifting and rustling of leaves as Geralt started to move around. Finally.</p>
<p>Eskel rubbed his hand down his face, pausing over his mouth to pull his eyes open a little wider. Then he shook the expression off. “There is gonna be a lot I don’t say about this trip, isn’t there?” he asked flatly. “I mean, I’d tease, but this is just fucking embarrassing.”</p>
<p>“There was a vine!” Geralt said, finally dragging himself back up. “These things move, I swear.”</p>
<p>“Uh huh.” Eskel just stared at him.</p>
<p>So maybe the shadows had been acting weird, but there was no way that Eskel was going to admit that and pass up the golden opportunity to tease Geralt a bit.</p>
<p>Geralt didn’t even have the wherewithal to blush. He just dusted himself off, leaning into Roach’s side for a moment. </p>
<p>“Maybe we should have let it all burn.” </p>
<p>The terrifying part was that Geralt sounded deathly serious. He even looked around the woods speculatively.</p>
<p>“With us still in it? Really? And so much for you finding your lover a proper gift.” Eskel sheathed his sword and gave Geralt the most unimpressed look he could muster. “You ready for us to keep going? You sure? Because we can wait here a bit longer.”</p>
<p>Geralt just glared at him.</p>
<p>Eskel rolled his eyes and went back to tracking. </p>
<p>After another ten minutes or so, Eskel started to see signs of Echinops nearby. There were old, poisoned spines buried in the trees, and clear drag trails where vines had reached out to grab some prey and then hauled it back to the main stalk.</p>
<p>He urged Scorpion back, and drew his silver sword again.</p>
<p>“Are we going to party?” Geralt asked from behind, the sound of his own sword being unsheathed loud in the quiet forest.</p>
<p>Eskel straightened up at the odd wording. Party? Well. Maybe killing some good old cursed creatures was kind of a party. </p>
<p>“Yeah. Let’s have some fun,” Eskel said with a nod. He downed a Swallow potion, briefly mourning the loss of Dracula’s few remaining bite marks. Then he took a Golden Oriole, too. While the potion would instantly cure any poison currently in him, his version of the potion would also continue to prevent him from being poisoned for a while yet. </p>
<p>Echinops weren’t fun, but there were two of them. He shouldn’t need to take any other potions as well. He did cast Quen on himself.</p>
<p>The two of them moved purposefully forward, swords ready. </p>
<p>Vines surged up from under the ground, scattering dead leaves and dirt all around. They were big, maybe the biggest Eskel had ever seen. They were as thick as his leg and covered in rough skin. He slashed and rolled away. He’d scored a quick slash on the attacking vine as he dodged. </p>
<p>He rolled to his feet and turned in a half circle, trying to keep an eye on as much of the nearest surroundings as possible. The vine he cut was damaged, but it was also thick enough, old enough that the skin turned into something akin to tree bark. Fuck. That meant they would have to put way more effort into hacking them off.</p>
<p>Geralt managed to pin one of the vines against a large rock and was chopping away at it with his sword. There wasn’t a whole lot of finesse to that move, but he definitely made up for it with power.</p>
<p>Roach was kicking like mad just beside him, barely managing to miss Geralt. Scorpion, the sensible horse she was, already high-tailed it away from danger.</p>
<p>“Do not,” Eskel yelled, running back towards where the other vine was thrashing and arching towards Geralt, “under any circumstances, use Igni!”</p>
<p>“Oh come on!” Geralt yelled back. “Plants hate fire! It would just make sense to burn them!”</p>
<p>Eskel joined in on the hacking. Just to give them a little time, he cast Axii on the creature, and hoped that it might actually help. Sure enough, the vines slowed down a bit, twisting weakly instead of actively trying to kill them.</p>
<p>“Yeah, and I kind of hate being on fire too,” Eskel bitched. “And since we’ve already had one close call on that front, I’m vetoing any additional Igni use from you.”</p>
<p>“You were the one that said caution was for the weak!” Geralt said on a tail end of a victorious hoot as he managed to sever another thick vine.</p>
<p>“Rampant stupidity is also for the weak,” Eskel shot back. He swung again and his sword got stuck in one of the thicker vines. With a muttered curse and a sharp pull, he managed to get it free, but that was enough to wake the creature up again. The remaining vines started to draw back and arch up. “Incoming spines!” Eskel yelled, and renewed his Quen.</p>
<p>Geralt’s Quen flicked to life just before the first volley. It held for the first five spikes, but gave before the final two. Geralt had to use his armored bracer to deflect them.</p>
<p>Eskel’s shield held through the whole attack, letting him get close enough to the stem to drive his sword in deep.</p>
<p>It was a mistake.</p>
<p>The Echinops was big, Eskel knew that already, but he didn’t get quite <i>how</i> big.</p>
<p>The creature thrashed and screamed. Then it rose up into the air, revealing the part of its stem that was hidden underground.</p>
<p>It rose. And <i>rose</i>, screeching and thrashing the whole way.</p>
<p>Fuck. Eskel didn’t think that Echinops even <i>got</i> that big. </p>
<p>There was so much of it that Eskel was faced with a choice. Let go of his sword and remain on the ground, or keep hold of it and be brought into the air where he would have no leverage.</p>
<p>Damn it, but he’d lost his swords too many times in recent times. He really <i>liked</i> this sword.</p>
<p>He held on.</p>
<p>The thing uncoiled like a sleeping cobra, all but yanking him into the air. He had to grab his sword hilt with both hands. His legs swung free in the air, and he had to fight to keep them away from the smaller, wildly lashing vines. </p>
<p>The Echinops’ clawed head looked down on him, and then bent down to snap at him. He was too close to the main body for it to get a good angle of attack. That didn’t save him from the smelly mucus dripping down on him with every crack of its maw.</p>
<p><i>Just my fucking luck</i>, Eskel thought with a snarl. </p>
<p>From how he was hanging, he didn’t have the leverage to pull his sword out. Nor did he have the strength to force the blade through the vine it was stuck in. </p>
<p>Well. Axii had worked once. Might as well do it again. </p>
<p>Luckily for him, he was good enough with his signs that he didn’t need much of a hand gesture to make it work. A quick flick of one hand was enough to get the basic casting off; that was about all he could manage anyways, what with the vines attempting to get ahold of him to pull him apart. </p>
<p>The Echinops sagged in place for a moment. Its massive, seeping mouth hung open, dripping venom all over the place. </p>
<p>“You gonna pitch in any time soon?” Eskel half-shouted.</p>
<p>He swung up to stand on the vine that his sword was stuck into. Once he was upright, he braced his feet on the still swaying vine and <i>pulled</i>. His sword came flying free with enough force that Eskel very nearly lost his balance.</p>
<p>“I thought you said no fire?!” Geralt shouted from below, still swinging away at the smaller vines.</p>
<p>“Oh, for fuck’s sake! You can do more than just blow shit up!”</p>
<p>There was a brief <i>whoosh</i> sound, and Eskel caught the movement of Geralt’s Aard knocking away a few of the smaller limbs. The main body, of course, didn’t move.</p>
<p>“Aard? <i>Aard?!</i> Geralt, it’s <i>rooted to the fucking ground</i>, you are not going to be able to knock it down!” Light as a bird, Eskel climbed up the still-swaying vine and main body of the monster, towards the head. This close to the mouth of the beast, he could see that small purple petals lined the awful, needle filled maw. Green ichor dripped down as the thing wobbled in place, still stunned by his Axii. </p>
<p>“Shut up, it’s working!” Geralt said, sounding ridiculously proud. </p>
<p>There was another <i>whoosh</i> and Eskel just rolled his eyes. </p>
<p>“How…” He swung at a small vine blocking his line of attack towards the mouth of the monster. “Did you <i>ever</i>---” Another swing. “Live this fucking long!” </p>
<p>Finally. He was close enough to do some damn damage.</p>
<p>“It’s working!” Geralt shouted back, this time sounding more offended. “Look! It’s freezing!”</p>
<p>“Freezing?” Eskel muttered. He didn’t have time to look at what Geralt was talking about. He was too busy lighting a Dragon’s Dream bomb, and shoving it down the monster’s throat. “Bomb! Watch out!” he yelled.</p>
<p>As soon as it was lit and in the Echinops’ gullet, Eskel slid down the body and ran, first along the vine and then he took a leap down to the ground.</p>
<p>Geralt was already scrambling away, running parallel to Eskel. They didn’t need to count; they knew how much time they had before the bomb exploded. They jumped as one, each in a different direction, hitting the ground half a heartbeat before a great explosion rocked the forest, splashing plant monster bits every which way. Eskel lay with his hands over his head, feeling the disgustingly wet bits of gore rain down on him.</p>
<p>The silence after the explosion was almost eerie, after the commotion of the fight before. There were no birds singing, no insects chirping. Only the quiet aftermath of proper destruction.</p>
<p>“You know,” Geralt said from somewhere to his left. “The mushrooms really smell very familiar.”</p>
<p>Eskel raised his head enough to catch sight of Geralt behind a small mound of dirt and leaves. He was lying smack in the middle of a particularly large field of the glowing green mushrooms.</p>
<p>“They’re weirdly pretty, you know?” Geralt said, staring at the mushrooms around him. “Beautiful, really. Honestly, this whole forest is kind of gorgeous.”</p>
<p>Eskel just stared at him in mild disbelief. He turned to look back at the smoking pile of plant monster, and then took in the visera splattered all across the nearby trees and shrubbery. </p>
<p>Strange enough, it was oddly lovely. Thick, glowing fluids of several colors dripped down the emerald foliage around them. It looked… <i>interesting</i>. Liquids like that had to have an unusual texture. The only thing stopping Eskel from reaching out to touch some of that dripping ichor was the fucking smell of it.</p>
<p>Eskel blinked really hard and shook his head. What the fuck was he thinking? “... Right. Hanging out in Dracula’s Castle is giving you a really weird fucking outlook on scenery.”</p>
<p>“You look good too, you know.” Geralt said honestly. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed.” </p>
<p>“Wait, what now?” Eskel shot him a wide eyed look. </p>
<p>“The…” Geralt made a vague gesture with his hand, possibly an obscene one. “You know. Looks good.”</p>
<p>“... I’m not sure I do know,” Eskel said slowly, tilting his head to stare at Geralt. “Wait, do you mean the scars?” </p>
<p>He pointed to his face. His facial scarring had improved a great deal since Dracula had first breathed power into him, and then they improved again after Alucard had accidentally bonded them. The damage wasn’t anywhere near invisible, Eskel’s face had been too badly torn up and the healing didn’t seem to be nearly as complete as anything Geralt had gotten from the vampires. It did look better though. The thick, red scar tissue had shrunk a little and turned more white.</p>
<p>He still wasn’t really anything special to look at.</p>
<p>The commentary still left him feeling a bit flattered and flustered.</p>
<p>Geralt didn’t look back at him though; he was already busy staring at something  in the underbrush.</p>
<p>“Huh,” Geralt said slowly. “It really is surprisingly pretty.”</p>
<p>“Right, whatever.” Eskel shook his head and stood up, brushing little bits of dead plant off of him. If they squirmed a little as he flicked them off, he didn’t care much. It wouldn’t have been the first time that a monster’s limbs took a while to catch the memo that they were severed and dead.</p>
<p>He took a moment to watch the bits wriggle around in the dirt. He didn’t <i>think</i> that Echinops could grow back from cut ends...</p>
<p>Geralt was already on his hands and knees, crawling towards the bush he was staring at. He crushed a bunch of mushrooms on his way, releasing a soft green cloud of gas, maybe spores, that covered the ground under him as he made his way to his target.</p>
<p>“You find any remains?” Eskel asked. After all, that was why they were here. </p>
<p>“So well done,” Geralt said softly as he picked up a small silvery item that reflected the light as Geralt raised it higher to look at it closer. He rubbed his sleeve over the item and Eskel realized it was a flask. Metal or silver, he couldn’t tell from so far away, but it was definitely a high quality, man made object. “The tree carving is amazing.” Geralt sat down on the grass and turned the flask this way and that, obviously admiring the etchings.</p>
<p>“So the smith told the truth, huh,” Eskel said absently. While Geralt investigated that, Eskel headed back over to the monster corpse and started harvesting parts. The roots and the spores were particularly useful, so Eskel started to dig a little, all while keeping an eye out for other useful loot. Where there were corpses, sometimes there were other valuables, and Eskel wasn’t above relieving the Echinops of its ill-gotten gains. “You want any of this?”</p>
<p>Geralt shook his head like a dog shakes off water and pocketed the flask.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” he said, climbing to his feet. “Janek is probably somewhere here.”</p>
<p>“You search for bodies, I’ll dig up plant parts.” Eskel already had a chunk of root in his hands. A few quick chops with a heavy knife, and he had several manageable portions of root. If he ended up cutting the root into <i>very</i> tiny pieces, just to keep the wriggling down, that was between him and his bag. When his bag started wobbling back and forth, he gave it a few extra stomps with his boot. Just in case.</p>
<p>All the while, he couldn’t help but think that he’d never seen Echinops parts act like this before. Once the monster was dead, it was <i>dead</i>.</p>
<p>Or it should have been.</p>
<p>Eskel rubbed his itchy nose and started working on gathering some leaves. The spores would be useful, too, but… well, the damn monster was in so many pieces he wasn’t sure he really wanted to go looking for spores. </p>
<p>“Sure,” Geralt said mildly and started walking in a concentric circle around the place he found the flask. Whenever he stepped on a mushroom a small ‘poof’ could be heard and a tiny cloud of spores would be released. The sound was familiar too, but for the life of him Eskel couldn’t place it.</p>
<p>It was going to come to him five minutes after they left this damn forest, Eskel was sure of it. That was just the way these things went. He shook his head.</p>
<p>It sure was a beautiful day today. Notwithstanding the plant monster. Eskel let his eyes drift close as he soaked in the gentle whispering of the wind in the trees. </p>
<p>After only a few minutes, Geralt called out, “I think I found him.”</p>
<p>Eskel dragged his attention back to his task. It only took him another minute to finish up his harvesting, clean his blade, and head over to take a look.</p>
<p>The bones were mostly devoid of flesh. Between the echinops, the forest animals, and the insects, only some of the clothes and a few pieces of skin remained. The size of them indicated a grown male, big in size, matching Konrad’s build quite well. At this stage of decomposition there was nothing to really identify the remains with other than the fact the bones were where Konrad indicated they should be.</p>
<p>“Hmmm. He wanted the body buried, right?” Eskel asked quietly. It wasn’t unheard of for a witcher to be asked to deal with the remains of a loved one. Oftentimes, people couldn’t retrieve their kin themselves. Assuming there was anything left of them, anyways. </p>
<p>“Yup.” Geralt nodded. Then he nodded some more. He just… kept nodding, looking on at the remains.</p>
<p>“Did that blast hit you in the head?” Eskel asked, mildly concerned. He peered closer to Geralt’s face, checking his eyes. The pupils looked a little wide, but they were both focusing the same amount, so concussion seemed unlikely. </p>
<p>Still, something didn’t seem quite right.</p>
<p>“I feel great,” Geralt said with an easy shrug. </p>
<p>That made sense. Eskel felt pretty good, too. Weirdly nice. It was probably just the leftover adrenaline from the fight. Geralt looked a little extra out of it, though.</p>
<p>Eskel just squinted at him and hummed. “...Right. Tell you what, you go grab a shovel from the horses, and start digging somewhere. I’ll finish looking around here.” </p>
<p>They all had little folding shovels as part of their travel kit. They weren’t nearly as useful as a real shovel would have been, but they were infinitely more portable and far better than trying to dig a hole with a sword. </p>
<p>Geralt wandered off towards the horses, with Eskel eyeing him the whole way. He seemed to be moving alright. Roach still gave him a little bit of hassle, but that was normal. </p>
<p>Maybe Eskel was reading too much into things. </p>
<p>Yeah. Right. </p>
<p>He gathered up all of the remains and piled them together for easy moving into the grave, and then searched for anything else that might be useful. Mostly he found a big, fat nothing, though Janek’s body had some rough gemstones on it. Probably stuff they picked up while searching through the landslide debris. </p>
<p>The shadows kept doing their weird wiggling thing. Eskel was starting to think that it was just something that happened in these woods. He was starting to get used to it, and hell, they were kind of fun to watch now that he wasn’t worried about them being a monster. It couldn’t be a Leshen; there weren’t enough crows around. A wraith or a ghost would have set their medallions off. </p>
<p>Eskel kept his eyes peeled as they worked. Just in case.  </p>
<p>“Why don’t we have a Sign for digging?” Geralt asked, now finally on to shoveling at the ground. </p>
<p>“What?” Eskel felt like he kept getting blindsided by whatever the fuck was going on in Geralt’s head. They hadn’t really hunted together for a few months, but Eskel did not remember Geralt being this chatty. </p>
<p>Maybe the problem was how Eskel was having a hard time concentrating. Whatever Geralt was going on about was hard to focus on, especially not with the rough shovel handle in his hands and the solid <i>thunk</i> it made in the dirt. </p>
<p>“You know. We have fire, and air. Or pushing air anyways.” Geralt paused shoveling to make something like the Aard symbol, but didn’t actually cast it. “There’s traps. Poison traps. Poison is like an element all on its own, right? There’s Quen. I suppose that’s just another kind of pushing air. Like, making air harder. If air was hard. And then Axii. Which is mind control.” He paused again. “Do you think that moves air inside someone’s head?”</p>
<p>There were no words. Eskel just had no words to answer any of this. He just stared, feeling more than a little confused. </p>
<p>“Pushing air?” Eskel said.</p>
<p>“Yeah! Although, you know Dracula says that all our powers come from Hell. Or we come from Hell. Or we’re part demon. You know, from the mutagens. So, <i>really</i>, is it pushing air at all? Or is it just pushing Hell?”</p>
<p>Eskel’s mouth dropped open a little more as the confusion grew. </p>
<p>“What?” Eskel couldn’t help but hope that maybe if he repeated the exclamations of <i>total fucking bafflement</i> maybe Geralt would start making sense.</p>
<p>“I know! It’s amazing!” Geralt gestured broadly, waving back and forth between them. “That’s part of why we can take his power so well. Or maybe all of why. Some of it probably has something to do with how hard we are to kill.” He wasn’t even bothering to dig now. He was just leaning on the shovel, nodding at Eskel sagely. “That power just makes it harder. Makes us harder.” He squinted a little, staring into nothing for a moment. Then his eyes widened, like he’d suddenly realized something of monumental importance. “It… makes… <i>everything</i>... harder. Literally. Because I want to fuck like a beast after he’s given me his power.”</p>
<p>Maybe he <i>did</i> get hit on the head after all? Eskel was starting to worry.</p>
<p>Given his own confusion, maybe they’d <i>both</i> been hit in the head. </p>
<p>“Right, you’re benched. Go sit on Roach for a while and…” Eskel shook his head. “I don’t know, drink some water.” He walked over and pulled the shovel out of Geralt’s hands and pushed him towards the horses. “Drink a Swallow. And a Golden Oriole.”</p>
<p>“But I didn’t get---”</p>
<p>“Just. Fucking. Do it.” Eskel pointed at Roach and stared. “I’m gonna do the same thing. We’ll drink in solidarity.”</p>
<p>Roach seemed to hear him, because she snorted at Eskel from where she was standing, ears flat to her head.</p>
<p>Eskel stared at the horse. He was about done with this whole thing. As much as he wanted to drag the beast over by her harness and shove Geralt on, he knew better.</p>
<p>He fished around in one of his pockets and brought out an extra sugardoll, a little bit of candy wrapped in wax paper. </p>
<p>“Come here, Roach. Let Geralt get on you and you can have a treat.” Eskel unwrapped the sweet and held it out. He liked how the paper crinkled in his hand. </p>
<p>“Are you bribing my horse?” Geralt asked.</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>Geralt just shook his head. Eskel thought for a moment that Geralt was going to give him shit for it, but Geralt just said, “That’s amazing.”</p>
<p>Eskel sighed.</p>
<p>Fortunately, Roach ambled over. While she was investigating her treat, Eskel grabbed her reins and Geralt mounted up. Just in case, Eskel whistled for Scorpion and then tied Roach’s reins to Scorpion’s saddle. Both beasts were well trained enough that he was sure it wouldn’t be a problem.</p>
<p>The odd part was that Geralt didn’t even bitch about it. </p>
<p>“Do you have another one of those?” Geralt asked, waving a finger at the now-devoured sugardoll.</p>
<p>“Yes. And no, you can’t have it.” Eskel rolled his eyes. “I might need to get your horse again. Drink your potions.”</p>
<p>“Yes, <i>Vesemir</i>,” Geralt drawled, and rummaged through his potion pouch. </p>
<p>Eskel kept watching long enough to make sure that Geralt drank the appropriate potions, and then he went to work, quickly buring Janek’s body. </p>
<p>The sooner he finished this up, the faster they could be on their way.</p>
<p>--</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>--</p><p>By the time Eskel was done burning the remains, Geralt had rummaged through his packs and was in the middle of stuffing his face with some dried jerky. </p><p>Eskel wetted down a bit of cloth with water from his canteen and wiped his hands and face down. All of the work seemed to clear his head a little.</p><p>He rummaged through his pack for a little packet of nuts to eat. He was still ravenous, that was nothing new, but he knew that even if he weren’t unnaturally hungry it would still be time for something to eat. </p><p>He stared narrow-eyed at Geralt while he devoured his snack. </p><p>“You still with me, Geralt?” he asked finally.</p><p>“Where else would I be?” Geralt asked back, looking around in confusion.</p><p>Eskel just hummed at him, unconvinced that everything was fine. He rubbed the last of the crumbs off of his hands and mounted up. </p><p>For a moment he considered heading back to the town. They didn’t <i>need</i> to go on to the mage’s manor. It wasn’t like they had a deadline to meet.</p><p>But then he remembered the slightly bewildered expression on Dracula’s face when he’d admitted that he’d never been given flowers, and the way his expression clearly said that he’d never even thought he could get them, much less want them. Considering how powerful he was now, Eskel couldn’t really imagine people giving him gifts, not real ones anyway. Bribes, maybe. He could guess how well that would go over with Dracula.</p><p>“You ready to go get some flowers?” Geralt asked, swallowing the last of his jerky. He looked up, towards the top of the mountain and then back to Eskel. “You think there will be some fruit in that garden?” He rubbed the fresh growth on his chin. “I’m hungry as hell.”</p><p>There was a moment of silence as Eskel weighed the pros and cons. He was in reasonably good shape right now, even if Geralt wasn’t. For whatever reason. And Eskel had the mark on his chest. If anything truly started to go bad, he’d call on Dracula in an instant. It would ruin their plans to surprise the vampire lord, but the fact that they <i>could</i> call on him for backup was incredibly reassuring. </p><p>“Yeah,” Eskel said slowly. “Let’s go look for some flowers. There might be fruit. But!” He raised a warning finger. “If you start to look any loopier, I am gonna tie you to Roach and haul you back to the village.” </p><p>“I’m just in a good mood!” Geralt protested. “And hungry.”</p><p>He dug around in his saddlebags for a moment, possibly scrounging up more food. But then midway through his search he paused and started petting the tooled leather of the bag. “This… This is a good quality bag. You should feel this, Eskel. The leather is so soft!”</p><p><i>Oh for fuck’s sake</i>. </p><p>Eskel sighed and was relieved to know that Roach was tethered to Scorpion’s saddle.</p><p>“Come on,” Eskel said with a shake of his head. “Let’s go find the manor. And just… try not to fall off your horse.” That last remark was intended as a joking barb, but there was a little, niggling worry in the back of Eskel’s mind that maybe that was a real concern.</p><p>“Roach wouldn’t let me fall,” Geralt protested and reached down to pet Roach’s neck.</p><p>In response the horse turned her head and snapped her teeth at Geralt’s leg. The bite missed by a mile; she hadn’t intended to hit him. She was probably just irritated from how Geralt was wobbling on her back like a drunkard.</p><p>Geralt stared down at his horse, bewildered.</p><p>“Huh,” he said eventually.</p><p>Eskel shook his head, laughed, and started leading them back towards the trail to the mage’s manor.</p><p>They settled into an easy pace. It was only midday at best; they had plenty of time to get up the side of the next hill over, so there was no need to rush. The locals called them mountains, but Eskel had grown up in Kaer Morhen. The old witcher keep was nestled right in a hidden valley in between the peaks of the Blue Mountains. The foothills here barely qualified in comparison.</p><p>Eskel was absorbed in keeping an eye out for trouble as they moved, a habit born of decades out on the hunt.</p><p>The blessed silence only lasted for a few minutes, though, before Geralt burst into song. It was a particularly filthy tavern song. Eskel knew it well. The damn tune had been popular as hell about twenty years ago, and the melody was an ear worm if he’d ever heard one.</p><p>Geralt sang loud, with obvious feeling, and Eskel briefly wished for death. </p><p>“Why,” Eskel moaned. “<i>Why</i>?”</p><p>But Geralt wasn’t listening. He just kept on with what Eskel knew would turn into a rather filthy limerick.</p><p>Two more verses in and Eskel was kind of wishing that he was drunk enough to join in. They often sang together when they were trashed. No one cared if you could hold a note when everyone was drunk, <i>especially</i> with the kinds of drinks that Lambert could whip up. Not that Geralt was particularly terrible at carrying a tune, but what the fuck, why now? They were on a <i>hunt</i>.</p><p>“Oh for the love of the fucking Gods, Geralt,” Eskel groaned. Only three rounds in and Eskel was already debating about throwing a bomb at him. </p><p>Maybe Axii. Axii might work. Would Dracula and Alucard take offence if Eskel just mind controlled Geralt until they’d acquired all the flowers they needed? Then he could just shove Geralt at them and call it a damn day. <i>They</i> could deal with this bullshit.</p><p>“Are you trying to make my life hard?” Eskel turned in his saddle to look at Geralt, but all he got back was a jaunty grin and the next verse.</p><p>While Geralt sang, Eskel very carefully tucked the memory of this experience away in his mind. As annoying as it was, it was still <i>fabulous</i> blackmail material. Next time they were together with the other Wolf witchers, Eskel was going to bring this shit up. It was going to be amazing.</p><p>Three more verses went by, and Geralt seemed totally uninterested in stopping. </p><p>“You know what, fuck it,” Eskel said, and dug around in his pack for some liquor. Might as well have a drink and join in, monsters be damned.</p><p>It was probably fine. They’d already killed the Echinops. And the forest was so damn pretty, it didn’t seem likely that they’d run into anything else.  </p><p>Temerian Rye. That would do in a pinch. Eskel pulled the cork out with his teeth and took a long swig from the small bottle. It wasn’t enough to get him drunk. One of them needed to be mostly in their right mind. </p><p>“Hey, Geralt, did you chew on any of that Echinops root?” Eskel asked. “Or eat any of those mushrooms?” It was a stupid idea. Geralt was too smart a witcher to go randomly eating potion ingredients.</p><p>… But Geralt had said that he was really hungry. </p><p>Geralt totally ignored him and sang through a couple more verses. Eskel ended up humming along as he drank. There was almost no point in keeping an eye on the woods around them. Geralt’s singing would alert everything within a league of them, Eskel was sure. </p><p>The woods on the way up had seemed peaceful enough. There were some wolves around, sure, but whatever. Eskel could kill a pack of wolves in his fucking sleep. It didn’t seem worth worrying about it. Much. </p><p>Eskel ended up humming along, just because.</p><p>“Behold the mighty witcher,” Eskel snickered to himself between swigs. “See how he stalks his prey, silent as the night, careful as a crafty fox.”</p><p>Geralt kept on singing.</p><p>Eskel polished off the little bottle and debated about going for a second one. He really couldn’t afford to get buzzed while out on a hunt, even one he wasn’t really expecting much trouble on. </p><p>He was still tempted. </p><p>At least the scenery was nice. Fuck, but he thought he could ride through these woods for weeks and probably not get tired of them. Everything was so <i>lush</i>.</p><p>He finally dragged his attention back to Geralt just as the song was winding down. </p><p>Eskel grabbed one of the many empty sacks he kept in his saddlebags and balled it up in his hands. Then he bided his time. Better to interrupt the whole process now right at the end than sit through another round of singing. </p><p>They were supposed to be working, after all.</p><p>"Never no more you dirty whore, said Ballochy Bill the sailo-URRRPFFF--” Geralt’s singing came to an abrupt halt as Eskel flung the burlap sack back into his face, hitting him with so much force that Geralt actually rocked back into his saddle. </p><p>“Save it for camp, Geralt,” Eskel sang at him, inasmuch as he <i>could</i> sing with how awful his voice was.</p><p>Geralt dragged the sack off his face.</p><p>“Why are you the grumpy one?” Geralt asked, tossing the sack back at Eskel’s face. Then he let out a fake gasp. “Were you drinking? And you didn’t share?!”</p><p>Eskel had to snort at the outrage in his voice. As if Geralt didn’t have his own supply of booze to dip into if he’d really felt like it.</p><p>“Take the damn bag,” Eskel said. He shook his head, and threw the bag back at him. “Pick some pretty leaves and flowers as we ride. Remember? For Dracula? Your lover, who you are going to shower with the fruits of your labor?”</p><p>“Oh, yeah.” Geralt paused, nodding. Then he started rubbing the burlap in between his fingers. And then over his face. “Wow, this feels really interesting.”</p><p>Before Eskel could say anything in response to that, or even to finally call an end to whatever was going on, Geralt pulled out his crossbow and shot into the underbrush. There was a loud <i>yip!</i>, followed by a few additional snarls. </p><p>It was the wolves that Eskel had heard earlier. </p><p>They’d finally decided to make an appearance. He’d been so distracted by scenery watching and Geralt’s caterwauling that he hadn’t even heard them sneaking up.</p><p>The rest of the pack burst through the bushes, barking and snarling. Both Roach and Scorpion reared a little and pranced in place, but both beasts were witcher mounts. They kept their heads while Eskel and Geralt picked the beasts off with well placed bolts. Just to be on the safe side, Eskel cast a Quen around them all, too, but he didn’t honestly expect that it was needed. </p><p>Eskel managed nicely placed eye shots. He had fancy bolts for his little single hand crossbow, but he didn’t want to waste them on fucking wolves. Simple wooden bolts would do. </p><p>Geralt, on the other hand, was happily exploding heads with his specialty shots. At least they were all far enough away that Eskel didn’t get splattered with blood and brains. </p><p>Again.</p><p>In only a minute or two, the rest of the pack was dead on the ground.</p><p>“We should stop to skin---” Geralt started.</p><p>Just the thought of sitting around to skin a whole damn pack of wolves was enough to make Eskel sigh. He held up a hand. “No. We have work, real work, to go do.”</p><p>“Right. Dracula.” Geralt nodded. Then he raised his eyebrows and his eyes widened. “Yeah, Dracula! We are definitely stopping. I’m gonna carve out their hearts and give them to him.”</p><p>As much as Eskel wanted to say that was a terrible idea, he knew that it probably wasn’t. </p><p>“Fuck it, fine.”</p><p>Geralt had already dismounted and pulled out his skinning knife. Since wolf pelts would sell for some nice coin, Eskel didn’t really bitch much. Geralt needed all the extra silver he could get, and honestly Eskel wouldn’t complain about having some more pocket change, either.</p><p>So with a sigh, Eskel dismounted too and got to work on the bodies. </p><p>While he worked, he shook his head. Clearly, whatever was going on with Geralt wasn’t enough to actually hinder his hunting abilities. That thought mollified him a bit. Maybe Geralt was just feeling a little extra… free. Or something. There were two of them, after all. Two witchers. And both Geralt and Eskel were older hunters, too. There wasn’t a lot that would give them pause. </p><p>Eskel quickly banished that thought. It seemed like tempting fate to even think it.</p><p>Besides, he had skinning to do. </p><p>After a few minutes, he started to get into the whole process. The fur was so <i>soft</i>. Hells, he’d never felt fur this soft. It took all that he had to not stop and pet it for a while. </p><p>“You think Alucard would like a heart or two?” Geralt asked, seriously, both hands bloody as he extracted another wolf heart and placed it in a neat row of them on a large leaf.</p><p>Eskel shrugged. He’d finished making the proper cuts on the body he was working on, and was in the process of ripping the pelt off of the corpse. Since Geralt was collecting the hearts anyways, Eskel cut that out as well.</p><p>“Or a head!” Geralt wondered out loud.</p><p>“Hmmm. Maybe stick to the hearts. Or a nice fur, if we get one,” Eskel said, considering the haul. </p><p>“Yeah,” Geralt sounded oddly muffled, like he was talking through his mouth full. </p><p>Intrigued, Eskel looked over and noticed that his lips and chin was smeared with thick, red blood. His cheeks were bulging as he chewed energetically. Geralt caught him looking and reached into the carcass he was working on. He pulled out a big piece of liver, and extended it towards Eskel with a bloody hand.</p><p>“Want some?”</p><p>For one terrifying moment, Eskel was sorely tempted. He was hungry. The blood smelled rich and warm in the air, enough that he leaned in a little to get a better sniff at it.</p><p>The blood smelled like life.</p><p>He shook his head sharply to clear it of that weird ass thought, and gave Geralt a flat stare. It wasn’t like they both hadn’t eaten raw meat before this. It happened. Sometimes there wasn’t time or resources to cook the meat. But, did they really need to do that now?</p><p>Maybe he was just being extra grumpy for no good reason. Sure, the singing was a bit annoying given the circumstances, and stopping to skin a bunch of critters was kind of tertiary to their actual goals here, but it wasn’t <i>that</i> obnoxious.</p><p>Eskel’s head felt fuzzy. Maybe he should have slept more the previous night, rather than just skating by on the minimum amount of meditation.</p><p>“No, thanks. You couldn’t wait to cook it?” Eskel gave him one more mildly exasperated look, and went back to making his own little pile of hearts. </p><p>Even though Geralt would be the one giving them to Dracula, and possibly Alucard, Eskel knew that a bit of his scent would linger on them. That left a bit of warmth in his stomach, to think that the vampires might realize that this was a joint gift.</p><p><i>From the heart</i>, Eskel thought to himself with sardonic amusement. </p><p>“Why wait?” Geralt shoved another piece in his mouth, and moved on to the next body.</p><p>Eskel just rolled his eyes and went back to work. “You are gonna need a full body scrub down before you meet up with Dracula.”</p><p>“Mmmmm Dracula in the baths,” Geralt murmured, sounding very appreciative. </p><p>“Mmm, indeed,” Eskel whispered to himself, suddenly remembering his own time in said situation. </p><p>Both of them were old hands at skinning beasts, so the work was done with alacrity. Once they’d taken everything they were planning on taking, Eskel fished out a couple of oiled sacks. It was specially treated to withstand carrying something wet. He kept several on hand for trophies, things that wouldn’t fit properly on the hook on his belt. Perfect for the still-bloody wolf bits.</p><p>If he paused to rub his face against the soft, soft fur, that was his business. Maybe Dracula or Alucard would notice his scent on them. Whenever they actually got them.</p><p><i>Soft</i>, Eskel thought again.</p><p>Shit, maybe he <i>should</i> eat some meat. He was starting to get a little loopy. </p><p>One of Eskel’s treated bags got filled with hearts, and the other got stuffed with well folded pelts. There were significantly fewer usable pelts than Eskel had hoped for, mainly because of Geralt’s trigger happy explosives, but there were at least three that were of good quality. </p><p>“Here.” He handed both bags to Geralt for him to add his loot to. “Not sure they’ll want the furs, but I suppose they can’t hurt?”</p><p>Dracula did like furs on his bed. These would need to be tanned and worked to become something usable, but perhaps it was the thought that counted. </p><p>Eskel wasn’t really sure about that. This whole gift giving thing was a bit out of his wheelhouse. On a personal level at least. He knew in theory that it was important, but he’d never had anyone he needed to be considerate of like this. It also didn’t help that Dracula was such an impossible person.</p><p>“Oh, these are nice.” Geralt had his hand in the sack of furs, and was stroking them with a pleased little smile on his face.</p><p>“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” Eskel said with surprised agreement.</p><p>They were very nice. Maybe the vampires <i>would</i> like them. He tried to picture Alucard in one of his suits with a wolf pelt thrown over his shoulders, and had to snicker. A wolf in a wolf pelt.</p><p>These were lovely white pelts -- a common coloring for wolves this far north. Alucard <i>would</i> look handsome in them. Or on them.</p><p>Eskel wiped his hands on some clean moss and got back up onto Scorpion. After a bit of dicking around, Geralt followed suit, tying up his loot on his saddle and mounting up as well. </p><p>Before they started moving again, Eskel turned around to give Geralt a stern look. </p><p>“No. Singing.”</p><p>From the way Geralt had his mouth open and his chest puffed up with air, Eskel had caught him just in time. </p><p>Geralt exhaled and deflated, and his lips pursed into a pout. </p><p>“Fine.”</p><p>His hand was still in the sack of furs, and his mouth was still smeared with wolf blood. </p><p>“Gods, is there any wonder people think witchers are fucking psychopaths,” Eskel muttered. He shook his head and snorted with amusement. With a click of his tongue, he urged Scorpion on.</p><p>“I’m hungry,” Geralt said petulantly.</p><p>“Eat a heart?” Eskel tossed back offhandedly.</p><p>“What?!” Geralt raised himself, all offence and outrage. “Those hearts are a gift!”</p><p>Hells, but Geralt certainly was acting a bit off. A bit of good natured bickering was normal for them, granted. Eskel couldn’t help but think that the last hour or two had been weird. Somehow.</p><p>He shoved that thought to the back of his mind to stew on as they rode. </p><p>Eskel hummed. That was true, the hearts were a gift, even if Geralt’s outrage seemed a bit overdone. “Don’t you have extra dried foods in your pack?”</p><p>This time, Eskel tried to keep his attention on the woods around them as they made their way through the forest. As easy as the wolves were to take care of, he wasn’t keen on anything else sneaking up on them. Happily, he wasn’t forced to listen to endless repetition of drinking songs, so he figured his situation awareness was probably a little better than it had been.</p><p>“Yeah, but...” Geralt paused to audibly chew something. “What if I’m hungry later? Raw meat won't keep and it’s actually really good. Must be all the running the wolves do. The meat is so soft, too. Squishes nice in the mouth. Squish, squish, squish.”</p><p>Wolf meat was probably not very soft. Especially since this group in particular looked a little on the starved side. That was probably why they tried attacking them in the first place. But, well, raw meat did have a different texture. </p><p>Squishy, squishy, squishy.</p><p>Eskel shook his head. Why was he even considering this?</p><p>“We are not going back to drag along a wolf carcass with us just so you can have something to gnaw on.” Eskel didn’t bother turning around. He didn’t want to see what Geralt had shoved in his mouth now. </p><p>There was some disgruntled munching from behind him, but since that wasn’t an actual rebuttal, Eskel let it slide. </p><p>They found the path they were looking for with relatively little trouble, and then made their way down into the valley and then up the Big Sister Mountain. </p><p>Again, the ride seemed to clear Eskel’s head. Maybe it was Scorpion's smooth gait. It was very nearly meditative.</p><p>As they traveled, Eskel didn’t notice anything other than the occasional deer and a few birds and squirrels. The forest looked like a million other forests that Eskel had ridden through. There were more of those weird green mushrooms, but nothing extreme. </p><p>Sure, the leaves were a bit greener, and the little bits of sunshine that peaked through the leaves danced in the air like fireflies. So maybe the forest <i>was</i> special. </p><p>Maybe Eskel was just in a good mood.</p><p>Geralt was staring at the woods around them like he was entranced. </p><p>At least he wasn’t singing. Eskel didn’t even care if Geralt was paying attention or not. The ride and the quick meal mixed with the effects of the Swallow that Geralt had taken after the Echinops fight would probably be enough to heal whatever head injury that was causing the weird behavior. That bomb wasn’t <i>that</i> big an explosion. Maybe Geralt had hit a rock when he landed or something. That wouldn’t be unheard of.</p><p>“It must have been so pretty, before.” Geralt sighed behind him.</p><p>Eskel turned to look at him, totally blindsided by that statement.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>Geralt blinked at him and pointed at the thick shrubbery.</p><p>“The Garden,” he said slowly, as if Eskel was a particularly dim child. “We’ve been riding through it for the last five minutes.”</p><p>Eskel looked where Geralt was pointing and didn’t see anything other than a bunch of wildly growing shrubs. </p><p>Then he started really looking. He tried to piece together some larger picture than just the immediately visible shrubs. </p><p>The trees <i>were</i> different here. Several of them sported spotted-white bark, instead of the usual brown. The farther they rode, the more frequently they appeared. </p><p><i>Maybe birch trees</i>, he thought. But the leaves didn’t look right. He was tempted to stop and get a closer look.</p><p>That was when he realized that the trees were actually growing in a pattern. He turned in the saddle, looking back and slowly forward. The white barked trees were forming symmetrical patterns on both sides of the narrow road they were riding. Geralt was right, this was not just a forest, this was a garden, or maybe a park that had gotten swallowed up by the forest.</p><p>“I don’t even see the manor yet,” Eskel said slowly. “This mage had to have been rich, to afford landscaping so far away from the main building.”</p><p>“I wonder how it looked before it got overgrown,” Geralt sounded wistful. </p><p>“Yeah,” Eskel started to nod but then he paused mid movement. “Wait.” </p><p>Geralt pulled Roach to a stop, obligingly.</p><p>“Konrad said it’s been around ten years since he saw the mage anywhere near the town.”</p><p>Geralt scrunched his brows in thought. “That was the last time he got any work from the mage, yeah.”</p><p>Eskel looked around at the noble, beautiful trees that had been all but swallowed up by the common plants of this region, the thick shrubbery and brambles, and the vines thickly covering the ground. Some of the faster growing native trees had sprouted up, too, obscuring the original design. That was probably why it had taken Eskel a few minutes to really see it. Everything was overgrown. Unkept.</p><p>Something still felt off.</p><p>“This thing looks like it was abandoned several decades ago.” He leaned forward in his saddle and looked at the surroundings again. “While those pines and poplar trees are fast growing, those oaks and white cedars shouldn’t be that tall after only a decade.”</p><p>It was obvious that those trees weren’t part of the original design; they had to be from the rest of the forest encroaching back into the garden. But they were far too large. Even stranger was the fact that some of the surrounding shrubbery had selectively grown up. There were parts where the previous garden design was still mostly intact, and other parts that had been obscured by overly-fast growing native plants. </p><p>On top of that, there was a fairly wide variety of strange mutations mixed in. Eskel saw things that were <i>similar</i> to plants he knew well, but were too large, or too green, or too… different. </p><p>Something had happened to the growth here to intrinsically alter it.  </p><p>“Doesn’t the design remind you of something?” Geralt asked, turning slowly to watch whatever pattern he saw. “It seems familiar, but I can’t quite remember why.”</p><p>Eskel shrugged. “No idea.”</p><p>These things all looked alike after a while. </p><p>Geralt cast his Quen and drew his sword. The moment Eskel felt the energy and heard the draw, Eskel did the same.</p><p>“What is it?” Eskel asked, scanning the trees around them for danger. There was nothing he could see, though, and his witcher medallion was quiet around his neck.</p><p>“The trees,” Geralt said, gesturing. “I don’t think it’s gonna be an issue, not with both of us, but can’t hurt to be sure.”</p><p>
  <i>The trees?</i>
</p><p>Eskel looked around again, but still didn’t see anything noteworthy. </p><p>“What about the trees?” he asked, suddenly worried about the response. Why, he couldn’t quite pinpoint.</p><p>“Look at those branches!” Geralt gestured with his sword. “I think you and I have it handled, but you sure don’t see that every day.”</p><p>Maybe he was talking about all the mutations in the foliage. It was true, he didn’t often see acorns the size of his fist or maple seed pods the size of shoes, but that was hardly something to draw his sword for.</p><p>Although, maybe Geralt was just being cautious after the Echinops. That would be surprisingly prudent of him. Maybe Eskel’s bitching had done some good.</p><p>“I think we’re probably fine,” Eskel said after another minute of staring into the trees. “Let’s keep going.”</p><p>“Alright.” Geralt shrugged, but he didn’t sheath his sword. That was fine, Eskel wasn’t planning on doing that either.</p><p>They proceeded with caution, and soon enough they were in sight of the manor wall. It was an old, stone thing, covered with a thick layer of moss and mushrooms, with tiny springy ferns popping out of cracks here and there. The air was lush with the smell of greenery, fresher and moister than it had been farther back in the forest. There was probably some kind of spring inside the estate. </p><p>Eskel dismounted, and Geralt followed suit. Per their norm, they set out some grain for their horses to keep them busy for the time being and ordered them to stay put. Both of them grabbed several more empty bags, too. Just in case. It was the worst feeling in the world to have valuable ingredients or loot that had to be left behind because there weren’t enough bags to carry it all. Eskel and Geralt both had long gotten into the habit of bringing extra, no matter what.</p><p>“Do you think we should bring the hearts, too?” Geralt asked.</p><p>“Why?” Eskel looked at him, one eyebrow raised.</p><p>“In case we run into Dracula.” Geralt’s tone added the implied <i>obviously</i> to the end of that sentence.</p><p>Eskel cast a quick glance around the ruins, again stretching his senses out. Nothing seemed out of the norm. Well. Out of the norm for an abandoned mage’s compound, anyways. There wasn’t even a hint of Dracula’s power here.</p><p>Interestingly, he could almost, just barely, sense a touch of it on Geralt, though. He’d never been able to do that before. Then again, he’d never really tried, and after his bond with Alucard, he’d become far more sensitive to magic of every type. </p><p>Just getting the tiniest hint of Dracula’s burning power made Eskel want to step in close and give Geralt a tight hug.</p><p>He promptly squashed that idea and tossed it down the deepest well his mind could dig up. Fuck no, that was not happening. </p><p>He tried to drag his mind back to the issue at hand. Dracula, here. </p><p>“Do you think he will?” Eskel asked. Then he paused. “Does he often show up on your hunts?” </p><p>It had happened to Eskel a few times; Dracula showing up out of the blue to demand attention. Those surprise visits hadn’t happened often enough for Eskel to really expect it, though. Geralt could be a different story. He was much closer to Dracula than Eskel was. They’d shared bits of their souls.</p><p>“Maybe?” Geralt’s answer lilted up at the end, and he shrugged. “Does wanting sex count?” Geralt added after a heartbeat.</p><p>“Wait, he shows up when you want sex?” Eskel asked. “Gods, that’s convenient.”</p><p>“No,” Geralt said in the kind of tone one said ‘you idiot’, “when <i>he</i> wants sex.”</p><p>“So, always then,” Eskel said flatly. As far as he was aware, Dracula’s appetites were unquenchable. </p><p>“Nah,” Geralt shrugged, but he sounded put off. “He gets to bother Alucard too. Or you.” He paused and looked thoughtful. “But damn, he always has the worst possible timing.”</p><p>That was true enough. Eskel shrugged. “Bring them then, I guess. If you’re worried about it.” While Geralt was tying the bag of hearts to the back of his belt, Eskel hummed in thought. “So… is there an order to Dracula’s bothering, then? Does he go to Alucard first, then you, then me?” </p><p>So what if he was curious. Anyone would be. Especially if he was to be more… permanently added to the roster, so to say. </p><p>“Hmmm. I don’t… think so? Well.” Geralt tilted his head back and forth, like he was saying <i>maybe</i>. “I know he goes between Alucard and I, and there… may… have been a time or two where we were both busy and I… kind of… sent him to you. I didn’t think you’d mind.” He looked at Eskel earnestly. </p><p>Eskel just waved a dismissive hand at him and shook his head. He knew that happened sometimes, and he wasn’t bothered by it. </p><p>They finished resituating their gear, and then both of them headed up to the gate in the wall.</p><p>“Door’s open,” Eskel said, pausing to look at the large double door gate. </p><p>Not only was it open, but it looked like it had already been <i>pushed</i> open. Not like it had collapsed or had rotted. More like someone had broken in and left the way clear. </p><p>“Every mage I’ve ever known was a paranoid bastard about their homes and labs. The things I had to go through to get The Emmentaler, you wouldn’t believe,” Geralt huffed.</p><p>“Geralt, I do not want to hear about the damn rotting cheese bullshit again.” Eskel rolled his eyes.</p><p>“Those fumes almost killed me!” Geralt turned big eyes on him. “That Echinops didn’t come close to killing me but those fumes were <i>deadly</i> Eskel, even to a witcher!”</p><p>“Uh huh.” Gods, not this again. Eskel would argue more, but witchers found some weird shit sometimes. Killer cheese wouldn’t even make the top five list of strangest things an older witcher may have seen. “Come on. And keep your eyes peeled for company.” </p><p>He waved at the path through the door. It wasn’t terribly well used, but it was definitely <i>in use</i>. </p><p>Someone had come through here with some regularity.</p><p>“Yeah. Maybe this is how the plants got out,” Geralt said musingly.</p><p>“Wait, what?” Eskel looked at him, even as he kept most of his attention on the path. For a moment, it had sounded like Geralt was suggesting that the plants walked out of the walled manor. </p><p>“You know, spreading through the door?” Geralt waved his hand at it.</p><p>Eskel squinted at him suspiciously and wondered if the earlier spaciness was still afflicting him. While he was looking, Geralt pressed through the opening in the gates, turning sideways to squeeze in without brushing either door. It wasn’t a tight squeeze, despite the fact that Geralt had on a fair bit of gear. </p><p>“See.” Geralt sounded vindicated as he pointed his finger at something in front of him. </p><p>Eskel squeezed through the door after him and took a look over geralt’s shoulder.</p><p>The carriage driveway stretching out in front of them was a veritable carpet of the glowing, green mushrooms. Here, they were bigger and more robust looking than any they’d seen so far. There weren’t many by the door, and there was a distinct walking path that extended four or five steps away from the gate, before that, too, was swallowed up by mushrooms.</p><p>Aside from that short bit of walkway, the glowing umbrella caps filled in the whole front courtyard, from one white painted curb to the other. The only gap was around the round island in the middle. There stood a long-dried fountain. Eskel could barely make out a dark, overgrown pond of greenish water. The whole thing was thickly covered in clematis vines in full, glorious bloom, and lilies of a hundred different colors, ranging from pink-veined white, to a red so dark that it looked like old blood, to the most astounding oranges and blues. </p><p>There were plenty of weeds on the lawn surrounding the driveway, but not much in the way of flora native to the forest outside. Every tree, every bush here was… different. Familiar, yet not quite right. </p><p>This was perfect.</p><p>“Nice,” Eskel said, brimming with satisfaction. “Let’s start collecting here. Get a bunch of pretty stuff. If Dracula’s never gotten flowers before, that means he’s never gotten anything. Not even a daisy. So get some good stuff.”</p><p>“Those lilies are as big as my head,” Geralt said delightedly, squashing the green mushrooms under his feet as he moved towards the colorful island in the middle of the driveway. It only took three steps into the overgrowth for his ankles and shins to be covered in a fine layer of the greenish spores. </p><p>A mix of excitement and mild dismay filled Eskel up at the sight of the flowers in the old fountain. This was an absolutely perfect for a gift for Dracula: Flowers of rare and unusual size and beauty. A <i>worthy</i> gift for Geralt to give to his beloved. </p><p>It also meant that Eskel would have that much harder of a time finding anything to compare to give Dracula himself, but that hardly mattered. Geralt meant more to Dracula. A lot more. </p><p>“Get extra for Alucard, too,” Eskel said. “You were gonna give him some hearts, might as well give him flowers to go with them. We have plenty of bags.”</p><p>Eskel followed Geralt’s trail through the mushrooms, though he was a bit more cautious about not getting any of the green crap on him. That would be a massive pain in the ass to clean off his boots, he was sure. Still, he couldn’t help but get a whiff of the rank, musty smell of mushroom spores as he made his way. Ugh, no wonder Geralt had made a face when he first smelled them. </p><p>Eskel himself went for sprays of bellflowers. The deep purple-blue blooms looked like puffed up balls while they were still budding, then once the petals opened they looked like stars with white centers. Normally, they were about the size of a large gold coin, but these here were twice as large. He picked several sprays and then moved on.</p><p>“What colors are you getting?” Eskel asked. </p><p>“Red!” Geralt said happily, using his hunting knife to neatly cut the lilies. He already had a nice stack of the long stemmed flowers by his feet.</p><p>Eskel nodded. Red made sense. He looked around, plotting his next move.</p><p>“Too bad Lambert isn’t here,” Eskel said with a short laugh. “He’s got the eye for color.”</p><p>Geralt snickered along with him.</p><p>Just for contrast, Eskel gathered up some good looking ivy vines. The leaves were glossy and a deep green, so dark they were almost black. That would look good with the red. Hell, it would probably go good with anything.</p><p>“Oh,” Geralt said suddenly, voice quietly awed. Eskel turn to look at him and he saw how Geralt cut through a large patch of the lilies only to expose more flowers behind them. They were irises, blooming completely out of season, and they were <i>black</i>. Beautiful, huge blooms that opened up like hand sized crowns, so dark that they seemed to shine with it. The petals looked like the finest velvet.</p><p>“Oh wow,” Eskel said softly. “Yes. Get those. Get lots of those. I’ll look for stuff you can braid.”</p><p>But Geralt wasn’t listening to him, he was already drifting over to the flowers, staring at them dreamily. </p><p>While he was working on those, Eskel moved around to gather up a whole host of other interesting things. Nearly everything was in the fullest cusp of its blooming cycle, regardless of when that plant normally bloomed. Eskel really hoped that they would stay intact after being taken from the garden. He thought they might. Probably. There was the faint sense of magic everywhere, thrumming up through the ground and into every stem and leaf. Just enough that it made everything tingle a little against his skin.</p><p>Eskel went around picking tree flowers next. There were redbud trees, bizarrely both in full bloom and in full leaf. He gathered several handfuls of the massive heart shaped leaves and added in a large pile of the tiny, individual blooms. Each one was so startlingly bright pink-purple that they nearly glowed. They’d look great against Dracula’s black sheets, or spread around in the bath. </p><p>On the far side of the fountain was a stunning array of roses. While roses weren’t generally Eskel’s favorite flower, these were just so large and beautiful. Each petal shined like brushed silk. And the scent! The scent was heavenly. They ranged in color from reds to whites, pinks and oranges, and even purples and blues. He gathered a whole bag of full, fire orange blooms, and then a second one of just blood red petals. He grabbed ripe rose hips from several colors, as well, just to see if he could get them to grow back at Kaer Morhen.</p><p>When he turned around to look for Geralt, he found him still staring lovingly at the irises, gently cradling one in his hand.</p><p>“It’s so pretty,” Geralt said softly. One finger stroked up and down the side of a ruffled petal, so gently it didn’t disturb the flower at all.</p><p>They were pretty damn beautiful, Eskel had to admit. </p><p>“You have a job to do here,” he said after a second, again remembering he wouldn’t be the one to give the flowers to Dracula, or see the expression on his face when he got showered with fragrant petals.</p><p>That was fine. It was. Geralt and Dracula would have a good time.</p><p>“Water lilies are blooming too,” Geralt said, still looking lovingly at the iris. “I never saw so many flowers in one place.”</p><p>While Eskel had to admit, this collection was particularly good, he wouldn’t go so far as to say he’d never seen so many all together. </p><p>“I suppose.” Eskel shrugged. “The Gardens of Freya in Skellige are pretty impressive. Though they’re more… natural.” Maybe that’s where he’d go to find something for Dracula. There were more mountain flowers there, which made sense given the nature of those northern islands. Different than the selection found on the mainland. “I’ll get some water lilies, you pick the irises. Get some sprays and some individual blooms.”</p><p>He waited until Geralt actually started to make some cuts with his harvesting knife before moving over to the stagnant water of the long dead fountain. Sure enough, the surface was dotted with sweet pink water lilies, each one looking silk soft and twice as delicate. Eskel knew better, though. Water lilies were stubborn plants, and both the leaves and the flowers were sturdy as hell. </p><p>He thought about untying the armor at his wrists and rolling it up to keep it from getting wet, but then disregarded that idea. A little wet leather never hurt anyone, but the lack of fucking armor usually did. </p><p>The moment he stuck his hand in the water to cut the first flower, he had to pause. The water was so… so soft. So warm. </p><p>He swished his hand around a little, suddenly struck by how amazing it felt flowing between his fingers. Another little shock went through him as he realized that he didn’t really feel cold either. Yes, there was a bit of a chill, but the magic that radiated off of this place almost seemed to sink into his bones. </p><p>It was like sitting in a sauna. Without all the steam. Or the excessive sweating. </p><p>It felt so good that he had to sit there a while and just soak in the experience. His eyes drifted a little lower as he swished his hand back and forth. The longer he sat there, the more he leaned up against the cool stone that the fountain pool was made out of. </p><p>“Did you get the water lilies?” </p><p>Eskel jumped in place. Geralt was <i>right there</i>, out of nowhere!</p><p>“Damn!” Eskel tried to calm his suddenly thundering heart. “Make some noise when you walk.”</p><p>“Why would I do that? I’m a witcher. We’re supposed to be sneaky.” Geralt looked at him like he was crazy. </p><p>There was something off about that look, but Eskel couldn’t pinpoint it. It didn’t matter though, he was feeling pretty good and warm. The tiny currents against his hand felt so good he thought staying there for a bit longer wasn’t such a bad idea.</p><p>Geralt stood there for a while, staring at Eskel. Eskel kept swishing his hand through the water. </p><p>“So. The lilies?” Geralt asked again.</p><p>“Oh right.” Eskel blinked a few times, and shook his head. The water was nice, but they had flowers to get for Dracula. And Alucard. Although Dracula was going to get his first, most likely, simply because Geralt would have to portal to the castle first. From there Dracula could take him to Castlevania City, where Alucard had been for the last several weeks. Or was it months? He’d lost track. </p><p>Just thinking about it made Eskel mentally nudge around the blocked bond between them, like tonguing at a sore tooth. </p><p>Nothing leaked through. Still. It would probably be nothing forever. </p><p>He shook his head again and started carefully cutting lily stems. He gathered enough to fill another small bag and tied it to his belt. </p><p>“We’re gonna look like regular pack mules after this,” Eskel said ruefully.</p><p>But Geralt had already wandered off towards the main building. </p><p>“Hey, wait up,” Eskel called out to him. He had to tromp through a whole swath of bushes, wildflowers, and mushrooms before he made it up to the front door where Geralt was peeking inside. </p><p>Damn, but how big <i>was</i> this courtyard?</p><p>“Door’s open here too,” Geralt said as soon as he got close. That was not good news. It meant someone had been through here looting already.</p><p>Although, it also meant that if there were any magical booby traps, then the previous looters would have already set them off. So maybe that wasn’t so bad.</p><p>Both of them drew their swords again, and headed in.</p><p>The inside of the house didn’t look much different compared to the outside. Plants had invaded the inside just as enthusiastically as they grew in front. Lush vines crawled up the walls and over the bannister framing the stairs that lead up. There were potted plants that had escaped their pots and had grown enthusiastically along the floor, their roots punching easily through the old wooden planks. There was a whole patch of han fiber plants veritably thriving under the row of broken windows to the right of the entryway.</p><p>Geralt and Eskel moved cautiously inside, spreading out to look around. There wasn’t much left of the furniture, and what little else could be seen was utter junk. Eskel picked more flowers as he walked around, stuffing them in a half open bag at his hip. That was partially out of habit, but partially because he wanted to add more to the collection.</p><p>There were no candelabras or vases, no silver anywhere, and Eskel had never heard of a mage who didn’t like luxury. There should have been at least some paintings on the walls but all he saw were empty spots where paintings used to be.</p><p>“We are not the first ones here,” Eskel said slowly.</p><p>“Yeah,” Geralt admitted.  He went to look at the nearest bookshelf. “Somebody looted the place. But they didn’t take the really valuable stuff.” He pulled a heavy, leather bound tome off the shelf and gave it to Eskel.</p><p>“Potions of Nilfgaard by Passel?” he read the title aloud. “Wow.” This was a really expensive book, mostly because Passel had really good information and also because there were only ten surviving copies of this book in existence. “They just left it?”</p><p>“Maybe they couldn’t read?”</p><p>They looked through the bookshelves and cupboards on the lower level. No silver, no paintings or other commonly expensive items were to be seen anywhere. They did find four more rare books, most of them dealing with potions or plants or both at once. Eskel was actually pretty interested in reading those. Especially the Nilfgaard tomes. Due to the hard grasp the Emperor had on any information getting out of Nilfgaard proper, there were precious few books written on their magical practices, potion making, and native plants.</p><p>“Wow,” Eskel muttered, looking the books over. “Think there might be some new recipes in here?”</p><p>“I bet there are.” Geralt nodded. “We should take them back to Vesemir once we’re done.”</p><p>Eskel nodded back. That was a good idea. Now that Vesemir was more permanently holed up at Kaer Morhen, it was less of a risk to leave expensive tomes there. They already had a library, but turning it into something more formally kept rather than just their own individual collections might be a good idea. They could actually set up a room for it and organize it, rather than leaving all the scrolls and books in heavily locked and warded chests. They all liked to share recipes when possible; it could be a matter of life or death for any one of them.</p><p>“Come on, let’s see what else is here,” Geralt said, nodding towards the stairs. </p><p>Eskel followed along, stashing the books in yet another bag. Gods, but they both would be lumbering along like fattened cows when they were done here. </p><p>The upper floor was clearly living quarters. Again, all the obvious valuables were stripped. There were spaces on the walls where paintings should have been and the shelves were bare of silver or finery. Plants had worked their way up along the walls here as well, with full trunks of trees bursting through parts of the walls.</p><p>It was oddly beautiful. Like some kind of fairytale bedroom. Vines and trailing moss hung from the ceiling, and dappled sunlight fell through the holes in the roof. Eskel was reminded of some of the elven ruins he’d seen, and how nature had overtaken them. </p><p>The last room they searched was the study. It was chock full of bookcases and shelves, all filled to bursting with papers. Some were just stacks loosely bound with string, some were rolled up manuscripts. A few of them were actually leather bound books. There was a sense of disarray here. There were stacks of notes placed haphazardly on the floor; the moldy paper fell apart at the slightest touch. </p><p>Plants ran rampant in this room too, if not more than everywhere else. There were vines with tiny blue flowers that were all but eating the chair and half the desk. The north corner was filled with odd, spiky-stalked plants with thick leaves that seemed to be rooted in nothing but air, and thick, green moss that was speckled with those same green mushrooms. There were gnarly, spindly plants growing out of the fireplace, their roots breaking the brick and mortar in many places. It was actually hard not to step on one plant or another as they made their way through the stacks of useless papers.</p><p>“That mage was messy as fuck,” Eskel said, looking at the precariously stacked notes that had turned into a solid lump of cellulose in the years that they’d sat there.</p><p>Geralt fearlessly pushed the plants away, combing through the shelves with a practiced ease of a long time looter.</p><p>“Most of those seem to be about growing plants.” He pulled one of the few journals that seemed to be in a better condition and flipped through it. “It’s all about how to take cuttings, what kind of soil to use and so on.”</p><p>“Huh.” Eskel frowned as the thought about that, one hand absently thumbing over some moss on the wall. It was really startlingly soft. Like fur. If plants could be made of fur. “Maybe bring some to Vesemir? If we have room? He’s got his garden really going now.”</p><p>Eskel considered plant-napping a bunch of roots or cuttings if he found something worth taking. Seeds were easy enough to gather -- he’d already gotten some rose seeds, after all -- but had a lower chance of growing. Actual cutting or roots were a pain in the ass to transport successfully, which was balanced out in the higher odds of growing once they were settled into their new home. </p><p>Another minute or two sped by and Eskel realized he was still petting the moss. He shook his head, mildly irritated with himself, and went back to helping Geralt search. </p><p>Tiny shrubs and ferns had sprung up in the shelves. It was under the leaves of one such plant that Eskel found a tiny wooden box. Inside were loose runes. Several different kinds, too. Eskel could see the magic imbued in them. To the average person they might have just looked like some rocks with little glyphs carved into them.</p><p>“Jackpot.”</p><p>“What did you get?” Geralt asked, turning to look at Eskel while still holding onto a shelf. The old wood gave suddenly, and fell down a level with a loud <i>crack</i>. The paper laden shelf crushed a bunch of brown, puffed up mushrooms with a wrinkled skin spotted with blue marks. The mushrooms exploded right into Geralt’s face with grey dust, filled with tiny particulars that floated every which way.</p><p>“Fuck,” Geralt gasped and sneezed. Then he sneezed again. And again. He bent down and covered his face with his hands and sneezed even louder.</p><p>“You okay?” Eskel asked but didn't move closer. He didn't want to inhale those floating particles.</p><p>“I’m,” Geralt sneezed again. “Fi-- Fi--” </p><p>He never got to finish. Three more sneezes wracking him in a quick succession. </p><p>A tense moment passed as he waited for the next sneeze to come. When nothing was forthcoming, he said, “Fine. I’m fine.” His face scrunched up in disgust. “I can’t feel my nose,” he complained.</p><p>Eskel rolled his eyes. “You already took a Swallow. You should be fine in a minute.”</p><p>Geralt glared at him. The watering of his eyes somewhat diminished the intensity of that look, though. </p><p>Just to be cautious, Eskel waited another minute for the pollen to settle, and then walked over to give Geralt a hand as he straightened up. The latent scent of spores in the air make Eskel’s nose twitch. </p><p>“I found some runes. We can divvy them up after we get out of here.” Eskel said, pocketing the little stones. </p><p>Geralt nodded at him as he stood there and rubbed his nose. </p><p>Eskel took one more quick look around, and then moved to rifle through the drawers in a large desk. There were several more piles of rotting paper and a couple dried out vials of ink, though it looked like all of the quills had already been stolen. The vials were probably glass. Those would be worth stealing. Feather quills would have been left to rot. </p><p>So far, the whole manner had been stripped of anything that looked valuable, provided the looter didn’t have an understanding of magic. Paintings, rugs, decorations, silver… all stripped. Alchemical texts and runes were left. </p><p><i>Huh. I guess we know how old Barnaby in the village scored his fortune</i>, Eskel thought with amusement. As a dye hunter, the villager would make frequent trips into the forest. Herbs and flowers made the best dyes. This place must have been a treasure trove. It would make sense for him to take all the ill-gotten goods to one of the larger towns to offload. Then all he had to do was come back and say he got a new, very lucrative contract to explain the influx of cash. </p><p>Whether or not he still made his way up here to harvest plants for his actual dye work was hard to tell. The whole place seemed overgrown… but Eskel couldn’t rightly figure out how much of that was natural, or at what pace everything here grew.</p><p>The longer he considered it, the harder it was to think. His brain felt a little fuzzy, and he kept getting distracted by all of the itty-bitty little ferns peaking up out of the rotting papers. </p><p><i>So cute. Like tiny baby plants</i>.</p><p>He patted one of the leaves, and enjoyed watching it bounce in place. </p><p>One book on the desk remained mostly intact. From the faint tingle when Eskel picked it up, he guessed it had some preservation magic on it. Even that was finally failing, possibly worn away by the years. The leather cover was starting to look a little green with mold and the edges were soft. </p><p>He flipped through, and raised his eyebrows in surprise. “A journal,” he said. “Blah, blah, blah, plants. Echinops. Curses. Magical growing…” </p><p>He skimmed through the pages, looking for anything of note. </p><p>The last entry was dated close to ten years ago. Eskel paused to give it a more thorough read.</p><p>“‘...Experiment is frustrating,’” he read aloud. “‘Something is off with the growth spell. I’d thought I had stabilized the light essence matrix, enough to counteract the innate magical balance of the cursed one, but something is out of proportion. I’ve increased the containment area, but subject thirteen is significantly stronger than I expected. There are times I wished the Echinops was more sentient. If only I could explain that I am <i>feeding it</i>, perhaps it would be less inclined to attempt to eat me. But, well, excellent guards don’t grow themselves. I make another attempt to stabilize the growth tonight. Should that fail, I will simply stop the feeding. Without my growth spell, subject thirteen will quickly shrivel, solving any additional problems without further intervention… A bit of a waste, perhaps, but there is always time to start up a new test subject after this, and I have already learned so much.’” </p><p>Eskel paused, and shook his head. Mages.</p><p>“‘I will be the most sought after mage, when I present the successful results of my experiment at court. Obedient, perfect guards that don’t need any coin to remain on their posts. I will become the most influential mage to ever exist.’ This guy is pretty full of himself, huh.” </p><p>There was a long pause. Eskel had kind of expected at least a snort of agreement, but there was only silence. He frowned and looked up from the journal.</p><p>Geralt was still in the room, thank the gods, but he was leaning on a wall rubbing his face into the moss there. </p><p>
  <i>Rubbing his face into the moss.</i>
</p><p>What the fuck.</p><p>He dropped the journal and stalked over to grab Geralt by the shoulder and spin him around. </p><p>“Hey!” Geralt complained loudly, but he moved with Eskel’s pull without any resistance. </p><p>Sure enough, his eyes were wide and dilated. The pupils were so large that they nearly blotted out the gold surrounding them, making him look mildly ridiculous. His nose was red, and there was a light pink flush to his cheeks. </p><p>“Oh hi, Eskel,” Geralt said with a spacey giggle. “You look really nice today.”</p><p>Eskel closed his eyes and took a slow breath. Because <i>of course</i> Geralt was stoned. </p><p>How. </p><p>Why. </p><p>That was when it hit him. The green mushrooms! The same fucking things that Geralt had kept sniffing the whole damn day. Eskel had finally remembered where he’d seen them. They were Psilocybe mushrooms. An uncommon species to begin with. The ones around here had clearly altered. They were most frequently used to induce hallucinations as a part of druidic rituals. The type he’d seen had to be consumed to have an effect, but the mushrooms here were so much larger than what he’d encountered before. Maybe whatever this mage was doing here had mutated them enough for the spores to carry some of the psychotropic properties. </p><p>Which meant that Geralt was not only stoned, but he was probably not even seeing the same things that Eskel was. </p><p>A pained sigh left Eskel. That was… just… <i>great</i>. </p><p>Then it occurred to Eskel that he’d gotten a good whiff of the mushrooms, too. </p><p>Gods, he hoped they were actually in the mage’s manor and not gallivanting through some village right now.</p><p>While Eskel had been rocking through these revelations, Geralt had started petting Eskel’s head. Which <i>did not</i> feel nice. Not even a little. </p><p>… Maybe just a <i>tiny bit</i>. </p><p>Eskel struggled to stay still and not tilt his head into the petting. Fuck, he missed Alucard. </p><p>“Alright, Geralt. Time for us to go.” Eskel gently herded Geralt down the stairs, all while keeping a hand on his arm. He was just making sure that Geralt stayed upright. So what if the leather and metal of Geralt’s armor felt nice, too. That was just an added bonus. </p><p>“What? Go? Why would we go?” Geralt frowned at him, but went with the pushing. </p><p>Thank the Gods that Geralt trusted Eskel enough to let himself be pushed around. Geralt might look harmless and slow now, but Eskel knew that most witchers were volatile, what with constantly living at the knife’s edge of danger. Drugged up people were unpredictable. If Geralt didn’t trust Eskel as much as he did, this whole thing might have turned out much worse. </p><p>“We are gonna go outside, and you are gonna summon the Wolf to open the portal back to the castle,” Eskel said firmly. </p><p>Whatever Geralt was high on, Dracula would be able to keep him safe and calm far easier than Eskel could. </p><p>There was a bit of shuffling as Geralt tried to turn and look Eskel in the face, but Eskel tried to keep pushing him forward. There were a lot of elbows in the way, and both of them got a bit mixed up with all the bags they were carrying, so Eskel wasn’t one hundred percent paying attention to the door he was herding them out of. </p><p>Which was why it was a little bit of a surprise that the two of them stumbled out into the back courtyard as opposed to the front.</p><p>Whatever response Geralt had for Eskel was lost in the silent awe that fell over them both at the sight of the back garden. It literally took Eskel’s breath away, it was so beautiful. While the front had been filled with decorative flowers beyond compare, this back area had more medicinal and magical herbs than Eskel had ever seen in one place, outside of Geralt’s garden in the castle. </p><p>Patch after patch of rare herbs were growing lush and thick, filling the air with so many scents it was hard to breathe. The high wall surrounding the garden kept the wildlife away from the meticulously kept patches. There seemed to be some kind of elaborate watering system in place, he could hear the trickling of water even if he couldn’t see it from under the thick cover of medicinal plants. </p><p>Eskel was going to harvest every single of those plants, even if he had to load both horses like pack mules and carry what didn’t fit on them on his own back. He could already see the rare herbs that only grew in the most far off places just merrily growing along the high walls. He was going to get every single leaf, maybe some roots and other cuttings to bring them back to Kaer Morhen. Maybe they could grow some things there now that they had people living in the keep all year long.</p><p>Among all those perfectly kept beds with their multitude of plants from all over the world, a single circular area at the back was remarkably visible because it was completely <i>dry</i>. </p><p>All vegetation around that place was withered and dead. The circle was so even it was obvious that it wasn’t natural. Spread out next to wicked snarl of dead branches there was the remains of a mage’s robes along with a few scattered bones. </p><p>Before he could say anything, Geralt lurched out of his grip and drew his sword. A heartbeat later, a Quen shield shimmered around him and Geralt flung himself at the dessicated branches in the circle. </p><p>For a moment, All Eskel could do was stare in astonishment as Geralt swung and slashed at the dead thing, probably the remains of the overgrown experiment mentioned in the mage’s journal. </p><p>“A little help!” Geralt yelled between slashes. His eyes were far, far too wide and his shield shimmered around him, blocking any incidental damage from the branches he was trying to stab. </p><p>“Fuck,” Eskel said quietly. Geralt was hallucinating that something was there, probably that the dead plant monster was still alive.</p><p>The moment that thought occurred to Eskel, the shapes of the gnarled branches twisted and turned, wriggling in on themselves, as if the experiment had suddenly come to life.</p><p><i>This isn’t real, this isn’t real, this isn’t real</i>, Eskel chanted to himself. He knew damn well that this was just the damn spores. He’d tramped all around through them out front. Even if he didn’t get as much inhalation as Geralt, he was still probably a little stoned.</p><p>But he could see that Geralt hadn’t figured it out yet, and was rapidly looking more and more distressed. He swung hard, cutting off clawing branches and fighting what, to Eskel’s eyes, looked like an ever growing creature of decay.</p><p>But it was. Not. <i>Real</i>. </p><p>It was dead. The mage’s journal said so, and Eskel himself saw what was left of the body before Geralt’s damn hallucination poisoned Eskel’s drugged mind, too. </p><p>He tossed his Quen up, the strongest that he could muster, and prayed that Geralt really did trust him with his life. Then he dashed in and under Geralt’s swing, shoving himself in between Geralt and the hallucination.</p><p>“Geralt. Listen to me! Listen!” Eskel said urgently, pushing Geralt back away from the experiment area. </p><p>“Eskel, watch out! It’s gonna--”</p><p>“No,” Eskel said firmly, pushing Geralt back further. </p><p>Geralt’s eyes were dilated and frantic, sweat dripped down his temples, and the smell of spores wafted off of him. </p><p>He braced himself for a second and Eskel suddenly felt the difference in strength between them. For the briefest moment it was like pushing at a tree, no give at all. Then Geralt blinked and he was moving again, letting Eskel direct his movement.</p><p>
  <i>Thank the Gods.</i>
</p><p>“Geralt, we are alright,” Eskel said, almost pleading with him as he moved them away. He was more grateful than ever that he’d already busted Geralt’s chops about using Igni in the forest, otherwise it was very possible that they’d both be roasted by now. “We’re stoned, Geralt. Those green mushrooms are Psilocybe. That thing behind me is just a hallucination. We’re alright.”</p><p>“But! It’s--” Geralt stopped and shook his head. His brow was crinkled with worry and he looked back and forth between Eskel and whatever horror his mind had conjured up behind them. </p><p>“I know. Geralt, I know. It’s the mushrooms. We’re safe.” Eskel kept his voice calm and firm. “I’m gonna shield us now, just to make sure that everything is alright, yeah? You’ll be able to feel my Quen around us, and you know I’m good at those. Nothing will get through while I’ve got it up.”</p><p>Geralt was looking at him more than what was behind them now, and Eskel let his shield flare to life around them both. </p><p>“Eskel. That thing, it’s huge. It’s gonna kill us. Please.” Geralt looked at him desperately. One hand had dug into Eskel’s shoulder. The other he held his sword up, shielding both behind his guard. There was a thrum of power in his body, not a Sign yet, but potential for it, focus maybe. Geralt was still on the edge of surging into the fight, maybe even more now that he believed he had to protect Eskel too. </p><p>Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.</p><p>Eskel thought quickly, trying to figure out something that might sink in. A wild idea popped up. It was crazy, but they were both stoned. Maybe it would work.</p><p>“Listen, just <i>listen</i> to me,” Eskel said urgently, scrambling to untie the front of his armor. They were both hallucinating, but Geralt far worse than Eskel, with all likelihood. One thing about hallucinations was that they were easy enough to share, and very easy to suggest. “Look.” </p><p>Eskel finally got through his armor and ripped the ties on his undershirt right open, showing Dracula’s mark. </p><p>He grabbed Geralt’s hand, the one on his shoulder. It took a bit to get Geralt to let go; he’d had to dig in with his fingers, likely leaving bruises in the process. Once he managed to get the hand off his shoulder, he pressed it into the mark. </p><p>“You know what this is, right? This is Dracula’s mark.” Eskel pressed Geralt’s hand in harder. “Can you feel the power in it? I can. It sings against my skin when I touch it, almost like Dracula is reaching out. His power is here with us, and it’s in you more than it is me.”</p><p>Gods, this was such a long shot, and Eskel just <i>prayed</i> that it wouldn’t make things worse. </p><p>“I can feel it,” Geralt whispered, eyes wide.</p><p>“Yeah.” Eskel nodded along. “Dracula is waiting for you. You’ve got your flowers and your hearts, and he’s just waiting at his castle for you to give them to you. There’s no monsters here. We already killed them all. We’re already safe here.”</p><p>Geralt blinked, looking down at Eskel’s chest and… <i>did something</i>.</p><p>Eskel’s sight whited out, not in pain, but in sensation. It was like being hit by a hundred spells at once, a bolt of lightning, a power source exploding inside his chest but strangely painless. His whole being lit up, every nerve stood to attention and for the briefest moment Eskel lost his body, lost his sense of self, and became just a livewire of power. He felt like a keyhole, like the tiniest hole in the ground that led to a vast and endless ocean below, like all he needed to do to be part of that power was to just reach down.</p><p>It passed just as suddenly as it came. His awareness was shoved back into his body, with only a faint trickle of power buzzing in the mark on his chest.</p><p>“Dracula,” Geralt breathed, soft and breathy. His hand fell from Eskel’s chest.</p><p>Eskel breathed a sigh of relief.</p><p>“Yes. Dracula. You should go to him. We got him all the presents. You are good to go.”</p><p>“But…” Geralt murmured, eyes darting quickly over Eskel’s shoulder and then back to Eskel’s face. He probably still saw the hallucination. Based on the tight expression on his face and the stiff way he was standing, he was clearly fighting to not react to it.</p><p>“Just open the portal, Geralt,” Eskel said, reaching to tug at the second chain around Geralt’s neck. “Use the medallion and open the portal.”</p><p>Geralt blinked, twice in quick succession and looked over Eskel’s shoulder again before closing his eyes and jerking the medallion out from under his armor.</p><p>He opened his eyes. They were so dilated that there was barely any gold left. He stared down at the medallion in his hand with baffled expression. It didn’t last long. Just a heartbeat later his eyes flicked over Eskel’s shoulder again and he twitched as if he really wanted to move.</p><p>“I’ve got it,” Eskel said calmly. “I promise you, I’ve got this handled. Go to Dracula. Give him your gifts. I’ll add what I gathered to your belt.” Eskel kept one hand on Geralt’s shoulder, and with the other he started untying bags and fastening them to Geralt’s belt. He kept the ones with the books, but made sure that Geralt had all the flowers. He’d be weighed down enough with just those.</p><p>Geralt squeezed the pendant hard enough that his fingers went white.</p><p>“Here, kitty kitty?” he tried unsteadily.</p><p>Eskel snorted in amusement, but nodded. “It’s a Wolf, but it probably won’t mind.”</p><p>A howl filled the air. Eskel could see from over Geralt’s shoulder that the shadows inside the doorway to the manner deepened. Out of that darkness, a flash of blue light flickered, and then the Wolf strolled through. </p><p>It was gorgeous, white, and huge. Not quite as large as Alucard’s wolf form, but bigger than a normal wolf by far. The animal sat in the middle of the dark entryway and waited, still and relaxed in a way Eskel had never seen in natural wolves. There was a sense of calmness and patience to it. Like it would be willing to wait however long was needed.</p><p>Eskel finished off tying Geralt’s additional presents to him, and then pushed him back towards the Wolf. </p><p>“Go on. He’s waiting.” Eskel nudged him again, turning him towards the Wolf. </p><p>“I…” Geralt looked to the Wolf, and the creature beat his tail once when it caught Geralt’s eyes and then back over Eskel’s shoulder. “Yes.” Geralt obviously decided. “Just don’t die, Eskel,” he said, taking a step towards the portal. “I will kill you if you do,” he added seriously, gaining speed. When he got closer to the shadows, the Wolf stood up and came to meet him, sniffing at Geralt’s hand and his bags before turning and starting to walk back into the darkness. </p><p>As Eskel watched them walk away, he could almost see things moving in the shadows, hands and teeth and hunger, all reaching for the walking pair. There almost seemed to be a gentle kind of blue light emitting from the Wolf’s fur and whenever those reaching limbs came close to it, they recoiled as if burned. </p><p>He shuddered at the thought of what could happen to a traveller who lost sight of the guide. The Wolf wouldn’t let that happen. Eskel was sure of it.</p><p>Soon enough Geralt was gone and the portal ceased to exist.</p><p>Right.</p><p>Good. That was done. Geralt was safe and could recover with Dracula. The flowers and hearts had been delivered. </p><p>Now, Eskel had some <i>serious</i> harvesting to do.</p><p>---</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>---</p>
<p>Eskel wiped the sweat from his forehead. Fuck, but he was tired. Dirty, sticky, and just <i>really</i> fucking tired. </p>
<p>He’d been harvesting for what felt like hours. If it actually had been hours or not, he had no idea. He was certain that he was riding out the continued effects of the mushrooms. That didn’t stop him from gathering every scrap of useful herbs that he could. This find was just too damn valuable. </p>
<p>There was a small worry in the back of his mind that he was hallucinating the plants, too, but he disregarded it. He had enough evidence before he started to trip his brains out that there were plenty of good herbs here, of large and unusual quality. After he sobered up, he’d dig through what he'd gathered. </p>
<p>It wasn’t worth it to leave the area, sober up, and then come back again. He’d just start to get high on the spores all over again. While his potions could cure poison, they didn’t do jack shit for psychotropic drugs. He’d just have to work through it.</p>
<p>He’d gathered so much material that he’d long since run out of bags. He’s started harvesting the plants in bulk, tying them together for easy carrying. Seeds went into his precious few bags, along with whole root bundles of the rarer plants. Gods, but he was glad he had Roach as well as Scorpion to load up. He might be walking back with them, but he’d get everything he could. If he had to, he’d build a travois and drag the extra along until he could hit up the village and buy a cart. </p>
<p>And maybe he’d take some of the seeds or bulbs for the decorative flowers that were out front, too. Kaer Morhen didn’t <i>need</i> those gorgeous irises, but that didn’t mean that they couldn’t have them anyways. It was possible that they wouldn’t grow in a place that wasn’t soaked with magic, but, well, maybe Eskel could still make it work. He was more than averagely talented in that regard. </p>
<p>It was hard not to look at the decay monster hallucination at the center of the garden while he worked. Knowing that it was just a drugged out illusion helped a lot. He was able to passively observe it rather than feeling worked up about it. Gods, it was huge. Ugly too. All twisting branches with a splintered, blackened maw at the center. </p>
<p>He wondered if it said something about him that this is what his mind conjured. </p>
<p>Probably. Witchers saw some pretty terrible shit in their lives. Geralt may have started his mind along that track with yelling about what he’d seen, but by now whatever Eskel was seeing was probably just a product of his own nightmares. </p>
<p>Fuck, he hated bad drug trips.</p>
<p>It was exhausting to ignore all the weird shit he was seeing along with the flowers. In addition to the decay monster, there were also <i>things</i> living in the flowers. Some swarmed with bugs, others grew and multiplied. Some were just so, so pretty that they were mesmerizing. Like growing cut crystals or living sculptures of metal. </p>
<p>He was sure that he was all cut to hell, too. Some of those stems were sharp, and several plants had thorns. Maybe his Swallow had taken care of it, or maybe it hadn’t. </p>
<p>It still looked like he was bleeding… bleeding blue and red and black, sure. </p>
<p>Maybe he had already healed. He had to trust his enhancements. Even if his Swallow had worn off, he wouldn’t be done in by a few cuts.</p>
<p>Fuck, he felt both hot and cold. The ever present chill left him shivering as he sweated, as his body couldn’t decide if it was overheating or freezing. A little refreshment might be nice.</p>
<p>He paused his work and leaned over a small stream. They flowed all through this back garden, working as a natural irrigation network. The water was blissfully cool, and fresh as could be as he splashed his dirty face. </p>
<p>The first dip of his hand into the water, he wasn’t really paying attention to whatever weird double image shined on the surface. But by the third splash, he had to pause.</p>
<p>Alucard was looking up at him from the water.</p>
<p>Eskel’s face twisted in confusion as he looked at the hallucination. Gods, but it did look realistic. Alucard’s hair was down. Messy and wild. That looked the best on him, Eskel thought. Little locks of white flowed into the shining white of the reflections on the water’s surface. His eyes were dark hollows of shadow, with glowing gold gems in the center. The pale skin of his face looked as soft as birch bark; velvety and just barely blushing pink. </p>
<p>There was an ache, a pain in Eskel’s heart as he looked on. </p>
<p>“Oh,” Eskel said on an exhale. “Oh, that’s just cruel.” He tilted his head to look at the vision, and let out a little huff and a not-quite smile. </p>
<p>“Eskel?” the fake Alucard whispered.</p>
<p>Eskel snorted in bitter amusement. “Now they talk. Maybe I should be happy the decay monster didn’t start talking, too.” He couldn’t look away, though. The small vision in front of him in the water was devastatingly beautiful. It was unreal. </p>
<p>
  <i>Probably just my own issues, bubbling up again.</i>
</p>
<p>“Eskel, talk to me. Please.” The fake Alucard sounded pretty distressed. Eskel hated that, even if it wasn’t real.</p>
<p>Eskel snorted, fully aware that he would be talking to himself. Or a stream. Which, really, probably wasn’t even closest to the weirdest shit he’d ever done. </p>
<p>Well, if he was just talking to himself, there was no reason to mind his tongue. That was refreshing at least.</p>
<p>“Fuck it, I’m so pitiful all I can think of saying is that you’re looking lovely today,” Eskel said, putting his hand on his face and rubbing his tired eyes. “You always look nice. Not sure why a pretty thing like you even looks at me, I’m such a wreck. Then again, you don’t look at me, so never mind.” </p>
<p>He paused for a moment, marinating in self pity.</p>
<p>“Get a grip, Eskel,” he said harshly and shook his head, unwilling to look any longer at the vision his addled brain prepared for him. “Work to do, plants to get. Vesemir will be happy, assuming I didn’t hallucinate all of this.”</p>
<p>He dug his hands back into the earth near the little stream. Pulling himself away from the image of Alucard on the stream was twice as hard as not looking at the slavering undead plant monster.</p>
<p>“Eskel, I’m here,” fake Alucard called from the stream. “Tell me what’s going on, please.” His voice sounded so real. It rang with the same lilting, soft tones that Eskel remembered so well. Damn, but of course his brain was making auditory hallucinations, too. Of fucking course.</p>
<p>Eskel hunched down near another bush of thorny herbs.</p>
<p>“Don’t look at the monster, don’t look at Alucard, just do your fucking job. Ignore the damned hallucinations,” he mumbled to himself. “He’s not here, he’s not here, it’s not real.”</p>
<p>
  <i>It’s not real, it’s not real, it’s not real…</i>
</p>
<p>His whole body ached from the work he’d been doing all day, but this new fantasy was painful in wholly new ways. The sealed over, cut off bond inside of him felt like a ragged wound. </p>
<p>“This is just made up by my stupid fucking brain. Alucard’s not here,” he reminded himself. “Just think about the plants. I’m gonna bring all this stuff back to Vesemir and he is gonna shit a brick he’ll be so happy. And <i>gods fucking damn it</i> the next time he asks me to go out and harvest shit in the mountains I am gonna point at the fucking three horse loads of plants I got wasted out of my mind to bring him and then I will tell him to shove them up his ass.” That last bit was said with a brimming satisfaction. </p>
<p>This was hard work now, and his mind was playing a million tricks on him, but he’d thank himself in the future. </p>
<p>The hours crept by, sun beating at his back and burning the nape of his neck, but his work progressed. By the time the evening chill came back into the air, the wonderful garden was nothing more than a site of devastation. All the lovely plots had been dug through. The carefully created raised beds were nothing more than rows upon rows of turned over earth, with a lone bush growing here or there. </p>
<p>He’d heard Alucard a few more times, but the hallucinations were becoming less invasive. </p>
<p>It was as if his mind had gotten used to them. Or maybe his body was working through the spores. By the time he stood up to look through the piles of plants he had gathered, the monster from the dry limbs was gone. The leaves and flowers no longer looked like the most amazing things in the world. His senses felt normal again, he was aware of his surroundings better without the hyper focusing on details he did before.</p>
<p>Eskel was sobering up and he was ridiculously grateful for that fact.</p>
<p>He approached the neatly stacked bunches and various wrappings and tried to figure out how to get all of it. There were almost forty packages of different sizes and weight. Most of those he could secure to the horses, but not all. He would have to carry them down to the village where he would buy better supplies to arrange his haul for transportation. Hell, he might really <i>need</i> to buy a cart and get at least one horse hooked up to it. </p>
<p>It was probably a good thing that they did find the smith’s brother. Eskel would definitely need that favor from the local smithy, if only to help him locate someone willing to sell a wagon.</p>
<p>Eskel arranged the piles so that they were easier to carry, and then loaded himself up with the first haul. Just as he settled the weight of the first load around his shoulders, he realized with dawning horror that he would have to trek through the damn carriage driveway to get to the horses. </p>
<p>The carriage driveway that was full of mushrooms. Mushrooms just bursting with hallucinogenic spores. </p>
<p>He looked at the waiting pile of things he needed to carry out. Five, maybe six trips would be required.</p>
<p><i>Fuck</i>.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>Alucard’s head pounded like he’d been hit in the face with a sledge hammer. </p>
<p>He’d been busy at work, patiently looking over predicted project costs for the next quarter from his medical branch R&amp;D department, when out of the blue he’d been slammed with the backlash of several of his more complicated spells breaking all at once. The sheer force of those spells recoiling on him was enough to make him blackout for a moment, slamming his face onto his hard wood desk.</p>
<p>When he slowly, painfully, tore his eyes open and dragged himself back to consciousness, he’s barely noticed that his nose was bleeding. No, the very first thing on his mind, beside the sheer pain, was that his bond with Eskel had been ripped open. </p>
<p>Every single spell he’d painstakingly laid to keep them separated had been blown to smithereens, all at once. The flavor of the power that blasted through them tasted something of Dracula, and weirdly of Geralt as well. </p>
<p>What had happened, and <i>how</i> it had happened, Alucard wasn’t sure. Nor was he really properly able to think of it for a while. All he could do was try and cope with the unexpected pain of so many broken spells. </p>
<p>The bond was open, but it had been forced open. It felt sore against his gentle mental probing, and layered into that was his sense of Eskel. </p>
<p>A jumble of emotions flowed through it to Alucard. None of it was too much to handle. Despite the bond being extremely unusual, Alucard was very skilled. While he couldn’t hear actual thoughts, there was a distant thrum of <i>pain-satisfaction-anxiety-weariness</i> that thumped next to Alucard’s heart. </p>
<p>He slowly, shakily, cleaned his face up with a handkerchief and then made his way up to his penthouse. John had concerns, but Alucard brushed them off. </p>
<p>Something had happened and Alucard needed to find out what.</p>
<p>The moment he was out of sight, he took out his contacts and let his hair down. The pain in his temples and behind his eyes was too much. Every limb felt weighed down, like he was swimming through the air. </p>
<p>He laid down on his bed the second he got into his bedroom, closed his eyes, and wove a gentle healing spell around himself. He couldn’t do much, not with how much his head was pounding. Healing had never been his forte, anyway. He couldn’t heal broken bones and sickness the way another sorcerer might, with a spell rather than his own natural vampiric abilities, but he could ease this brain busting headache.</p>
<p>He wasn’t sure how much time had passed before he felt like he could think clearly again. It was perhaps a half an hour. Maybe more. </p>
<p>When he opened his eyes, his vision was clear, if not his mind. There were still the echo of foreign emotions and half-heard thoughts rattling around in his brain.</p>
<p>None of it made any sense. Not even a little. </p>
<p>It was like listening to someone talking behind a thick wall. He could hear a voice, and a distinct cadence of words that he <i>should</i> be able to make out, but couldn’t. He also knew, deep down in his heart, that this was Eskel. Not only because of the bond, but because he knew the rhythm of Eskel’s words. He knew the <i>feel</i> of him.</p>
<p>There was one thing he could do immediately.</p>
<p>Alucard didn’t like using this particular skill much, and he liked augmenting it even less. His distaste didn’t matter. Something had happened to Eskel, something powerful enough that it put Alucard’s carefully constructed spells through a blender.</p>
<p>He got up from the bed, slowly, carefully, not quite believing the migraine was gone completely, and then headed for his safe. It was hidden behind one of the landscapes that livened up his walls. He pushed the painting aside and pressed his palm to the small reader.</p>
<p>When the door popped open he pulled out a spelled medallion. </p>
<p>An old fashioned item, maybe, but an easy way to house permanent spell work. Easy to hide and transport, too. This item was a simple focus for him, something that enhanced and focused his natural abilities.</p>
<p>He hesitated before he touched the plain silver medallion. It was in the shape of a simple coin. A non-magic user who found it might mistake it for a rather simple bit of jewelry. The last time he used it was to communicate with Dracula when they’d fought against Satan’s return. He and Dracula had been... well. They’d not yet reconciled at that point. Feeling around the edges of Dracula’s mind at that time had been beyond painful. Even now he was amazed that he’d managed to transmit his thoughts as well as he had, considering how full of chaos and rage his Father’s mind was.</p>
<p>Alucard refused to let his memories rule him. </p>
<p>He wrapped his hand around the medallion and spoke the word of power to activate the carefully designed spell on it. It was as easy as flipping on a light. A brief shiver of power hummed in the medallion as his own magic turned inwards, back into his mind. </p>
<p>What had been just indistinct murmurs in the back of his head became distinct words all of a sudden. </p>
<p>There was no hesitation, none of the fine tuning and tweaking he’d had to do with Dracula. The connection simply sharpened like a high definition image. He could hear Eskel’s voice, growly and rough, full of grumpy exasperation and humor that was so inherent to the man.</p>
<p>Some of the rambling was bits of recipes, though Alucard couldn’t tell if they were for alchemy or some incredibly unappealing type of vegan baking. </p>
<p>There were also scraps of songs in several different languages, mishmashed together. He got the sense that somehow Eskel thought that they rhymed. They did not. Not at all. </p>
<p>He heard bits of talking, things Alucard could tell that Eskel was currently speaking aloud, or had already spoken aloud. It was hard to tell, and there seemed to be several trains of thought weaving in and out of each other.</p>
<p>
  <i>...and do you know what she said? She said, they aren’t moving now, are they! Just hold still and I’ll stick my heels right in! And I thought that was just utter craziness… the woman was barefoot…</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>...baby plant! Da da da dadada! Baby plant! Da da da dadada! Mommy flower! Da da da dadada! Mommy flower da da da dadada!...</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>...this is the softest thing. The softest. I’m gonna pet it. Because it’s like fur, if fur were a plant. This must be a fur plant. Like a bunny. It’s even bunny shaped. Bunny plant! Here bunny, bunny, bunny. I have a carrot for you…</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>...if Dracula’s cock is the size of an arm, does Geralt do fisting? Do they bother to even use their cocks when they fuck him? Why not go with a tree branch? Does it grow like a branch? Is it really plant based? Is Dracula made of plants? What if Dracula is made of plants? Oooh bunny plant....</i>
</p>
<p>That last bit Alucard was both mortified by and… privately amused and interested in. He felt a little guilty for listening in on such things uninvited, and he was starting to get rather worried about Eskel’s state of mind. The thoughts were so fragmented, each one spooling into the next with little reason or connection. He sounded crazy. Or maybe drunk or drugged.</p>
<p>What the hell had Eskel gotten into that had left his mind in that state? Alucard knew that the witchers sometimes got drunk, and ridiculous things tended to follow after that, but even a catatonia inducing amount of booze shouldn’t have touched Alucard’s spellwork. And when the spells had broken, there had also been that faint flavor of Dracula and Geralt. </p>
<p>If something was truly wrong with either Eskel or Geralt, Dracula would have sent for him. No question. </p>
<p>The way Eskel’s mind was now, it wouldn’t help at all for Alucard to try and reach out to communicate with him directly to his mind. There was no guarantee that Eskel would even realize he was being talked to, let alone that he would understand any of it. His thoughts were too scattered. </p>
<p><i>Perhaps scrying, then</i>, Alucard thought to himself.</p>
<p>He could cast a spell on a bowl of water, projecting an image of himself to the closest reflective surface near Eskel. Alucard would be able to see what Eskel was doing, or at least whatever came in view of the spell. Maybe then he’d get a hint of what was going on.</p>
<p>It would be a little tricky to do this while they were in different worlds, but he could try. </p>
<p>He quickly gathered a large, wide dish, and a pitcher of water. Then he set them up on a desk, poured some of the water into the dish, and positioned himself so that he could easily stare into the water’s surface. </p>
<p>A trance would be required if only because of the distance between them. After centuries of practicing his craft it took almost no effort to slip into that state of mind.  With another touch of focus and a surge of energy, he filled the basin of water with his will and power, forcing it to be a window to where Eskel was.</p>
<p>An image started to appear on the surface of the water. From the angle of the view, he was looking up to the sky, so perhaps this was a pond or a puddle. Branches swayed gently in the breeze and little bits of bright blue sky could be seen beyond them. </p>
<p>Eskel’s face shifted into view.</p>
<p>He was filthy. Absolutely filthy. Dirt was smudged across his face, and his hair hung partially out of its regular ponytail, with stray strands sticking to his sweaty forehead and cheeks. From what little Alucard could see of his upper body, he still had his armor on, and his swords were on his back. That was good. </p>
<p>The strange part was Eskel’s eyes. The pupils of his golden cat eyes were so wide that there was barely any color to be seen at all. He blinked owlishly at Alucard, with a look of utter bafflement on his face. </p>
<p>“Eskel?” Alucard asked, and he dearly hoped that his voice would come through.</p>
<p>“They tallllllk,” Eskel said softly. His eyes widened a little more, and if anything that only made the extreme dilation of his pupils look more ridiculous. “Talking, talking. Happy the plant monsters don’t talk too. I have so many issues. Gods.” </p>
<p>He shook his head and looked like he was about to reach out and touch the surface of the water he was staring into, but stopped.</p>
<p>“Eskel!” Alucard called out, suddenly much more worried. “Talk to me. Tell me what’s going on, please.”</p>
<p>“Fuck, I’m so pitiful. You are so pretty,” Eskel said dreamily, but there was a sad twist to his mouth. “You’re like a tree. With soft bark. And jewels for eyes. And water for hair. Soft, soft, soft. You always look nice. Not sure why a pretty thing like you even looks at me, I’m such a wreck. Then again, you aren’t looking at me, you don’t look at me, so nevermind. Nevermindnevermindnever…”</p>
<p>Eskel turned away from the water. From the continued shifting of the small shrubs and branches that had fallen along the water’s edge, Alucard knew he hadn’t gone far.</p>
<p>The words were both sweet and sour. It was nicer than Alucard wanted to admit to know that Eskel found him beautiful, just as it hurt to hear him talk about himself that way. </p>
<p>“Eskel, I’m here. Tell me what’s going on, please,” Alucard begged.</p>
<p>There was more rustling, and then a huge tearing sound. Something broke, like a large branch being snapped in half. Then Eskel’s voice floated back through the scry, “It’s not real, it’s not real, he’s not real, he’s not real, don’t talk to the plant monster, don’t talk to Alucard, keep working, it’s not realit’snotreal<i>it’snotrealit’snotreal</i>…”</p>
<p>“Eskel, I’m real. <i>Please</i>.”</p>
<p>But Eskel wasn’t listening. He’d moved away from the scrying. </p>
<p>Alucard tried again. And again. And again.</p>
<p>Eskel wouldn’t talk to him. He was barely coherent at all. The things he said were like the rambling scraps that Alucard had picked up from his mind.</p>
<p>He was drugged. He had to be. The way his eyes looked was so much like how he looked while strung out on Dracula’s power, or on Alucard’s power for that matter. Happy, wide kitty eyes.</p>
<p>But Eskel was alone, off in the woods somewhere, babbling and insensible, digging around in the dirt. Whatever had broken through their bond could still be around, too.</p>
<p>Before Alucard was even thinking about it, he had broken the scrying spell, packed the telepathy medallion back in the safe, and was on his way towards the portal room. </p>
<p>He’d felt the ache of Eskel’s absence for weeks. When Eskel was still in Castlevania City, Alucard always had a sense of him. Where he was, how far away. Alucard just <i>knew</i> where the witcher was, even with their bond as thoroughly blocked as they both could manage. Once they had parted ways, with Eskel in his world and Alucard here, that feeling had dissipated. </p>
<p>Alucard had tried to keep his distance, though not because he wanted to. Witchers were fiercely independent people, and he knew how Eskel worried about being trapped. More than that, Alucard didn’t want to force the man into anything he didn’t want. The way their bond was, how it affected them, it created a forced intimacy between them. They had been close already, right on the cusp of maybe becoming lovers. But with the bond added in, it was difficult to see what was <i>them</i> and what was the bond urging them to touch, to be close, and to share power. </p>
<p>There was no way Alucard would force himself on Eskel, and he was desperately worried that Eskel’s ability to say no would be compromised. </p>
<p>It was far better to let things settle. Let them both have time apart, away from Alucard’s power base in Castlevania City. </p>
<p>Alucard did want to touch Eskel. Very much, actually. He wanted to reach out and hold him. But that wasn’t much different from the rest of his life. He’d spent centuries years alone, with nothing but violence and solitude. He could control his urges, and can and did ignore them at will. </p>
<p>All of that was beside the point right now. </p>
<p>Eskel needed him. </p>
<p>Something had happened, something that hurt him -- hurt both him and Alucard -- and he was alone and unaware. Alucard <i>could not</i> leave him to whatever his fate was.</p>
<p>In moments he was in his own private portal room. After accessing the locked closet there, he slipped out of his suit and donned his armor and sword. Geralt loved it when he just summoned it out of thin air. When he was alone as he was now, Alucard often just changed normally. It wasn’t a matter of power expenditure. No, it was more due to his comfort level with his abilities and how human he still felt from time to time. Or perhaps, how human he <i>wanted</i> to feel. </p>
<p>It took no time to change and then summon open the portal back to Dracula’s castle. Power flooded out of him, into the runes on the floor, and up into a door of glowing green energy. It was solid and brilliant for an instant, and then the center of the portal turned black, showing the space between worlds that Alucard would step through.</p>
<p>Opening and holding the portal should have left Alucard feeling the expenditure. He was powerful, it was true, but his specialty was not portals, especially not portals between worlds. But for whatever reason, Alucard barely felt the draw. His hunger had been a distant thing too, for months now.</p>
<p>Alucard had theorized that it was because of the sheer amount of blood and power he’d drank from Dracula the night he’d accidentally bonded Eskel. It had been so much that he’d felt near to bursting, like at any second his body would simply combust with the burn of Dracula’s blood and essence. Since then he’d felt… rested. Well, even. Far, far better than he’d felt in a very long time. </p>
<p>For the moment, he blessed that extra resilience and energy. It meant that he could move into action immediately once he got to his Father’s castle. </p>
<p>Assuming Dracula wasn’t already involved with whatever was going on. From the tang of his power on whatever had happened, he had to be aware that something had happened to Eskel, at the very least. </p>
<p>Eager for answers, Alucard hurried through the portal, moving between worlds and into the massive, round portal room in Dracula’s castle.</p>
<p>The moment he stepped out of the portal, a pillar of blood surged up from the floor, and rapidly formed into the tall, lean form of Orlaith. Her hair was white and straight, her skin pale and grey all but fading into the colorless walls of the room. She was looking slightly better than she had after the castle first had moved to Geralt’s world. Her cheeks were less sunken and her skin had a slightly better color. </p>
<p>“Orlaith,” Alucard greeted, nonplussed by the sudden appearance.</p>
<p>“The Prince is busy,” Orlaith said neutrally. </p>
<p>Alucard looked at her dress, pale grey and covering her from neck to toe, long sleeves hiding even her fingertips. She looked closed off and armored almost, unwilling to communicate with him more than she had to.</p>
<p>He pursed his lips and considered her statement. Orlaith was the steward of the castle. She knew everything that happened in its walls, and while she and the other denizens of the castle did not like Alucard, they would never cause him harm or willfully mislead him. Not only that, but Alucard had access to Dracula in ways that none of his minions ever did. If Dracula was busy enough that Orlaith was stopping him, then that was serious business indeed.</p>
<p>“Is he alright?” Alucard had to ask. </p>
<p>“He is well. Just occupied, and should not be disturbed.” She let no hint of disrespect show. She was far too proper for that, and she knew that Alucard’s will was second only to Dracula’s. </p>
<p>Alucard took a moment to feel his connection to Eskel. They were in the same world now. At least, somewhat. The castle existed in Eskel’s world, true, but it was also its own realm in and of itself. It had settled in the past few months, though, building new connections to the world around it. Syncing up. This was no doubt the reason that Orlaith’s physical appearance had slightly improved.</p>
<p>He could tell that Eskel was still far to the north. A fair distance, too. He must be out on the Path somewhere. If he were truly in mortal peril, Alucard was sure that his Father would intervene. The fact that Dracula was still here in the castle meant that nothing serious had happened yet. </p>
<p>Or, nothing <i>more</i> serious anyways. </p>
<p>That did bring about the problem of how Alucard would get to Eskel. This world had no planes, no trains, no cars. Transport was on horseback or by boat only. Or teleport, as some mages were able to do that at will and they were more common in this world than they were in Castlevania City. Alucard could turn into a wolf or a swarm of bats, but neither of those would give him the speed he wanted, the speed to get to Eskel <i>right now</i>. </p>
<p>Night would, though. She was regularly found at Kaer Morhen now, being spoiled rotten by Vesemir and Lambert. More spoiled, anyways. The demon horse was already a bit of a brat, at least when Dracula wasn’t around.</p>
<p>She was his Father’s favored mount, though, and that meant that she was allowed leeway where most others weren’t. He shouldn’t try ordering her; he didn’t have the time to deal with any possible retaliation she might bestow upon him. </p>
<p>So, bribery it was.</p>
<p>Alucard knew very well that she liked fresh meat; she might be shaped mostly like a horse, but she was a carnivore. He didn’t really have time to go hunting though, and a good bribe would have to be fresh. Night also liked sweets as well. Perhaps that might work better.</p>
<p>“I understand,” Alucard told Orlaith with a respectful nod. For a moment he wondered where Geralt was. He didn’t think anything was wrong -- Dracula would have contacted him immediately if that were the case -- but Geralt’s presence was a very reliable way to keep Dracula occupied. “Would you please open a door to Kaer Morhen for me, since my Father is busy?”</p>
<p>While he was just as ambivalent about the castle and its inhabitants as they were of him, Alucard knew the value of politeness. </p>
<p>Rather than answering directly, Orlaith just gestured towards one of the doors lining the walls. It creaked open of its own accord, showing the main hall of Kaer Morhen beyond.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” he nodded and walked to the door. </p>
<p>He was familiar with magic, with how it worked, likely even more than Dracula, who used power on instinct. Alucard knew the nitty-gritty of how spells worked. Even teleportation, which he’d never mastered. The castle had its own brand of that spell. While Alucard knew exactly how time and space twisted to create these instant transports from place to place, he’d never been able to understand how the changes in scent worked. He could see the gentle darkness of early summer evening beyond the cracked door, could see the burning lamps, but he couldn’t smell them. Not until he’d actually stepped foot into the hall. Then the scent of old stone, ash, horse, and people rushed in to his senses.</p>
<p>Perhaps it was simply part of how Kaer Morhen was still apart-but-not from the rest of the castle. Alucard had certainly seen portals in Dracula’s demesne that scent traveled through. </p>
<p>Or maybe the castle was deliberately attempting to screw with him. That was highly probable. </p>
<p>The comforting feel of Kaer Morhen wrapped around him. There was a great deal of Darkness here, it was true. The presence of the Wolf witchers made it bright again. Their scents mingled with that of the keep, as soothing as anything.</p>
<p>He didn’t meet anyone on his way to the stables. The keep was quiet around him. Witchers tended to go to sleep early when they had the chance to sleep safely. He had no doubt that the succubi were an added incentive to tuck in early.</p>
<p>He found Night in Vesemir’s garden, or rather at the edge of it, digging a deep hole at the edge of the first plot. Her claws were spread out and she was busily clawing up the sandy soil and occasional rocks. Every few seconds she would push her nose into the hole, sniff loudly and then resume her vicious digging spraying soil everywhere.</p>
<p>As Alucard approached, she flicked an ear back at him, obviously noticing his approach. That didn’t distract her from her task. </p>
<p>Alucard had to shake his head a little bit. </p>
<p>Night and Vesemir had a very interesting relationship. Alucard had never seen anyone treat the massive, black demon horse like an unruly little boy before, but Vesemir managed to do it easily. This digging in the garden seemed to be the current stage of, er, <i>negotiation</i>. Alucard noted that Night wasn’t digging in the garden proper. No doubt she’d been banned from that. She was definitely riding the line of that edict, though, digging into the edges. </p>
<p>“Night,” Alucard said as he got into range. “May I have a moment of your time?” </p>
<p>She flicked an ear back at him and gave him a brief side-eye, and then went back to digging. The one ear stayed pointed at him, so he took that to mean that at least she was listening. </p>
<p>“Something has happened to Eskel and I’m worried.” He started off with that because he knew how much Night liked the Wolf witchers. They all enjoyed giving her fresh meat as treats, Lambert especially. While Dracula’s power sustained her, thus meaning she didn’t <i>need</i> to eat, every single one of the witchers had a soft spot for her wide, sad eyes. “He’s my Father’s…”</p>
<p>Alucard had to pause for a moment, because how exactly did he express what Eskel was to Dracula? He’d wanted to remind Night of how much Dracula favored him, and anything done to help Eskel would put Night in good stead. But what title to give that? He wasn’t quite a friend. They were much closer than that, and the idea of Dracula having something as simple and uncomplicated as an ordinary friendship was a little strange. They weren’t lovers, not yet anyways. Dracula certainly cared for Eskel, though Alucard didn’t think that it was in the same way he cared about Geralt or himself. Eskel comforted Dracula where no one else would, or could, and he was willing to face down Dracula’s most terrifying bouts of anger without even a blink.</p>
<p>“He is my Father’s.” That covered it neatly. Whatever Eskel and Dracula were to each other, in the end, Eskel was Dracula’s. Alucard might have some small claim on Eskel, but he knew that his Father’s claim would come first. Dracula wanted to own, to <i>possess</i>, all those he cared about. If only so that he would never be left wounded by their loss again. Certainly, he got a measure of enjoyment from his control. Alucard knew that intimately. But he suspected that a great deal of his need to <i>own</i> came from deep, secret fears.</p>
<p>Fortunately, Alucard was well aware that Dracula was very pleased to share anything and everything with his son.</p>
<p>Night pulled her nose out of the hole. The black shiny fur of her nose was neatly marked by a sleeve of brown dust. She looked at him, with both ears now towards him.</p>
<p>“I need to get to him, quickly. I don’t think he’s… mortally wounded. But something is wrong.” Alucard didn’t bother keeping the worry out of his voice, and he flexed one hand restively, feeling the pinprick of his clawed gauntlets brush his palm. “He’s somewhere in the north, several days journey by normal horseback, I would guess.”</p>
<p>Night snorted, loudly expressing her disgust toward normal horses and their ability to transport anything.</p>
<p>Alucard sympathized. He missed his luxury cars already.</p>
<p>“Exactly,” he said with a nod. “If you take me to him now, next time I come back from Castlevania City, I will bring you a bag of sweets.” He tilted his head a little. “You know the humans there have made an artform of spun sugar. They can twist and turn it, color it in a thousand different ways and just as many flavors. I would get a bag, specially for you.”</p>
<p>Night’s head perked up father, and she arched her neck. Slowly, she sidled over to him, giving him a good look out of one eye. She stopped just out of mounting range, though, and not quite turned the right way for him to grab ahold and pull himself up.</p>
<p>She tilted her head and looked at him a little more intently.</p>
<p>Alucard held back a little sigh. “Two bags, but both no bigger than the size of a plump rabbit. I don’t need Vesemir breathing down my neck for getting you sugar high.”</p>
<p>Night made a low, chortling sound that was her version of a laugh.</p>
<p>“Is this an acceptable…” He paused, realizing what he would have to say. Damn. “Deal?”</p>
<p>If anything, deals were the most valuable currency in the castle. Something of Dracula’s magic affected anybody that ever made any form of a deal or contract in the castle. They seemed to hold more weight, and there was an implied consequence for breaking them, though Alucard himself had never been involved with a broken deal.</p>
<p>Night licked her lips, her tongue sneaking out from between the fangs and nodded at him. Then she trotted closer to him and presented her flank.</p>
<p>Mounting Night was like mounting lightning. Her magic was wild and raw. It buzzed under her skin with enough vigor to make Alucard’s teeth ache. He had no idea how his Father managed to ignore this sensation when he rode her. On the other hand, perhaps he didn’t even notice. Knowing Dracula, it was hard to say.</p>
<p>When magic red runes started to appear on her head, painting fantastical shapes that trailed down to her neck and body, Alucard felt goosebumps form on his skin. If she’d felt like lightning before, now she felt like a maelstrom raging around him. </p>
<p>He could feel the portal she opened even before he could see it. Whatever form of magic her species used was both more subtle and, in some ways, more powerful than Dracula’s. She didn’t tear the fabric of reality apart by brute force. Instead, it was as if she gently pushed the very atoms apart so that she and her rider could slide seamlessly between them. There was a natural flow to this portal, a smoothness to the construct that even Alucard couldn’t match. </p>
<p>She bunched under him, her powerful muscles tensing as she jumped. Red light flashed over his vision.</p>
<p>A half-second and an infinity later, they landed on a hard packed dirt road. Night’s sturdy body jerked under him with the impact of the landing. She danced in place for a moment, neighing quietly as the maelstrom of magic dispersed around them as if it had never been there at all.</p>
<p>The land around them was hilly, with mountains stretching off in the distance. Large trees filled the area around the road, making dusk seem more shadowy than it should be. The stars weren’t yet out and the moon hadn’t risen. There was still the fading blush of red across the western horizon, turning the greenery around them a tapestry of fiery orange glare and deep blue shadow.</p>
<p>Night perked her ears up high and sniffed. She took a couple prancing steps forward, and sniffed harder. </p>
<p>With a shake of her head and mane, Alucard could feel her gathering up the energy around them again for another jump.</p>
<p>The second portal went as smooth as the first. Again, they landed in a forest somewhere, with the mountains still on their right. There was no road this time, and tall grasses mixed in with the ancient trees.</p>
<p>There was more sniffing on her part, and then a short snort of satisfaction. </p>
<p>Then Night <i>leapt</i> again.</p>
<p>The moment they landed, even before he’d gotten a chance to look around, Alucard knew Eskel was very close. </p>
<p>It was full on nighttime when Night’s clawed feet dropped into the ground. Time traveled strangely with Night’s method of portaling to and fro. This journey might have taken days for a normal horse; Night had managed in what had to be only a few hours. </p>
<p>Lush, dark trees filled the area around them. The sound of trickling water alerted Alucard to the fact that there was a small stream nearby, and the air was filled with the scent of summer greenery.</p>
<p>More importantly, just ahead of them, nestled near that sound of running water, was a campfire. A fairly large one, too, given that it was still summer-hot out, even with the sun having set. Two horses were tethered near to the merry blaze.</p>
<p>A little ways away from the camp was Eskel. </p>
<p>A mostly naked Eskel, Alucard noted with some shock.</p>
<p>It seemed as if they’d caught him in the middle of an impromptu bath. He was sitting on a rock just in the shallows of the nearby river, wearing nothing but his underclothes. His armor and weapons were piled next to him on the bank, and his swords were propped up near him for easy access. It looked like Eskel was washing something, probably his pants from the look of the dark leather in his hands. His hair was wet and loose, dripping down his bare chest and arms, and dirt still streaked across his face and legs in odd places, as if he’d tried to wash but hadn’t quite managed to do it right. </p>
<p>The whole camp glowed purple to Alucard’s magical senses. A normal human wouldn’t have seen it. Perhaps even another mage or sorceress wouldn’t have either. But Alucard had spent a fair amount of time with the Wolf witchers, watching them fight and train. He knew there was a trap Sign cast around the camp, even if he couldn’t make out the details. </p>
<p>More interestingly, he could tell right away that Eskel had cast it. The magic <i>tasted</i> like him. Alucard very quickly shoved that tempting thought aside.</p>
<p>Not that he was looking very closely at the trap spell, not with how Eskel was sitting hunched over, mostly nude and dripping wet. </p>
<p>Alucard swallowed hard against his suddenly dry throat. </p>
<p>Night gave a short neigh, and sauntered up to the edge of the magical trap.</p>
<p>“Oh,” Eskel said, looking up at them. </p>
<p>The moment their eyes met, the world froze for a second, crystalizing the scene in Alucard’s mind. That moment of heart throbbing clarity kept happening to them, ever since they’d bonded. </p>
<p>Eskel was so  <i>beautiful</i>. Even half covered in mud and huddling in a river.</p>
<p>The bizarre time disruption passed as soon as it had begun. </p>
<p>Eskel tilted his head to give Alucard a look he couldn’t quite decipher. </p>
<p>“Wow, my mind’s a bitch today,” Eskel said flatly, and then went back to his scrubbing.</p>
<p>“Eskel,” Alucard called out. He didn’t bother raising his voice, he knew that Eskel’s hearing was nearly as keen as his own, and far, far superior to a regular human. “Are you alright?” </p>
<p>He looked self consciously around for a moment, taking in the horses, the fire, the trap spell… and what looked like a massive pile of plants stacked up behind the horses.</p>
<p>Horses.</p>
<p>Two of them. Surprisingly, both of which he <i>knew</i>.</p>
<p>“Eskel, why do you have Roach with you?”</p>
<p>“First rule of hallucinations is you don’t talk to hallucinations,” Eskel said with bored disinterest, as if to himself. He didn’t even look up from his scrubbing. “Just ignore it, it’ll go away. Gods.” Now he stopped to rub his face, wetting it down. “This shit can wear off any time now. I’m fucking done with seeing this over and over.”</p>
<p>“Eskel,” Alucard leaned forward, trying to project his sincerity. “I have been trying to contact you for hours.” </p>
<p>He tried not to worry about Geralt. His horse was here, yes, but Eskel didn’t look too distressed, nor did he look like he’d had just come from a fight. There was no scent of blood in the air. After what had happened to Geralt over the winter, Dracula kept a significantly closer eye on him. Maybe that really was what Dracula was busy with. </p>
<p>“I came from Castlevania City,” Alucard tried again. “I had to ask Night for help because I wanted to find you as soon as possible.”</p>
<p>Night chose that moment to neigh loudly and paw at the ground. Alucard could feel her gather the magic around her, the tendrils of potential raising goosebumps on his skin again.</p>
<p>A twitch ran through Eskel’s body. Not a strong one, but Alucard was watching very closely. Obviously Eskel had heard him then. He was just choosing to keep his head down and focus on working the fabric over in his hands.</p>
<p>“Geralt better goddamn appreciate this,” he grumbled. His shoulders tightened up a little as he spoke.</p>
<p>Night flipped her ears back and dropped her head a little, clearly annoyed at being ignored. She pawed the earth one more time, and then <i>leapt</i>. In a blink, they’d landed right next to the fire, inside Eskel’s trap spell. Roach and Scorpion both neighed and pulled back at their tethers, shying away from Night’s sudden appearance.</p>
<p>“That’s cheating!” Eskel yelled, sounding incredibly offended. He started in place, one hand already on his sword and a fresh Quen shield glowing around him. He wasn’t standing, though. He hadn’t even raised his blade up in defense.</p>
<p>“You gave us no other choice,” Alucard said, striving to keep calm in the face of his migraine and the long hours of worry. Eskel was fine, there was no need to snap at anybody.</p>
<p>He had to be fine. </p>
<p>Alucard kept worrying.</p>
<p>Eskel stared at them. His jaw was clenched so tightly that Alucard could actually hear his teeth grind. Now that they were nearer to each other, really only a few steps away at best, Alucard could see that Eskel’s eyes were still dilated wide, so wide that the black nearly swallowed up the gold. </p>
<p>And upon closer inspection, Eskel looked just a touch thin. He definitely looked cold; gooseflesh prickled across his arms and legs.</p>
<p>Alucard dismissed it. Eskel was sitting in a goddamn stream. Even with the oppressive heat of the summer around them still lingering on from the daytime, sitting in cold running mountain water was bound to have an effect. </p>
<p>The slight wiry look to his frame was likely from spending his summer on the Path, too. In winter time, the witchers rested up and trained, but Alucard knew just how hard they often drove themselves in summer. Geralt had mentioned that it wasn’t unusual for a witcher to barely pause to meditate an hour or two at night before they were off hunting again, sometimes for weeks on end. It made sense that Eskel looked a little harder, given the season. </p>
<p>Alucard also couldn’t trust the evidence of his own eyes anymore. Ever since the bonding happened, he’d consistently had this strange urge to feed Eskel, to swaddle him in blankets and keep him warm and safe. It was an unexpected and illogical instinct that seemed to come with the bond.</p>
<p>“This isn’t real,” Eskel said quietly, but his voice sounded uncertain. “You’re not here.”</p>
<p>“I am here!” Alucard snapped, his patience frying unexpectedly. Eskel looked tired and worn and cold. The last one kept tugging at something in Alucard, ratcheting his stress level up to distressing heights.</p>
<p>Eskel flinched like he’d been struck. His gaze darted down to the stream, and then around him. Searching. He licked his lips and looked up at Alucard out of the corner of his too wide eyes. “Alucard wouldn’t be riding a dragon. And even if he <i>was</i> riding a dragon, why aren’t the flames burning anything around him? You...” The words dried up. He shrugged a little; it was a jerky, sharp movement. “Though the armor makes sense.”</p>
<p>That pulled Night’s attention away from the packs she was busily nosing her way into and back towards Eskel. She pricked her ears at him. Then she slowly turned to look at Alucard. Her confusion was evident in the narrowing of her eyes and the twitch of her ears. She looked back towards Eskel. </p>
<p>Cautiously, she stretched out her neck and sniffed loudly in Eskel’s direction.</p>
<p>This time, Eskel didn’t flinch, but he brought up his sword to a guard position. The golden shield that was around him flared brighter, too.</p>
<p>Then Night sneezed. <i>Loudly</i>.</p>
<p>Eskel sat there, stiff and tense as could be, with his magic shield glowing around him so bright that Alucard squinted a little.</p>
<p>“See,” Eskel said, sounding strained. “No burning. Clearly not real.” He shook his head. “For fuck’s sake, Eskel, why are you even talking to yourself. <i>This isn’t fucking real</i>.”</p>
<p>And then it clicked.</p>
<p>Alucard looked at Night. She looked almost like a horse, if one disregarded the fangs and the claws and the way her legs could occasionally bend in ways that horses limbs just shouldn’t. But that was what his <i>eyes</i> saw. </p>
<p>His other senses saw an inferno of power, barely contained in that horse-like shape. She was the queen of her race, and the most powerful of her kind. If somebody with Alucard’s sensitivity but without his ability to put those sensations into context saw her, she really would look like a dragon.</p>
<p>Something had caused Eskel’s senses to go haywire, something that either enhanced them or lowered his natural barriers to perceiving the magical world around him. Maybe there were additional effects as well, if Eskel’s talk of hallucinations was accurate. Whatever had happened had done so in such a way that it had caused Eskel to disbelieve everything his senses told him. A witcher’s will should have been enough to shove any unwanted sensory stimuli away, but for whatever reason, Eskel was unable to do that.</p>
<p>Alucard dismounted, as fluidly as possible, hoping that the movement wouldn’t startle Eskel too much. He had to admit, if only to himself, that it was a relief to be off of her back. Night was a livewire. It was exhausting to ride her for any length of time, at least for somebody as sensitive to magic as him. Except, of course, for Dracula. But then, Dracula was an exception to many, many rules.</p>
<p>The lack of saddle and reins was always something that felt odd to Alucard, as well. He was aware that Night and Dracula had some form of telepathic connection that made the need for any form of controls on her obsolete, but it always felt strange to him. To just mount a horse and then hope she would take him where he needed to go without any input from his side.</p>
<p>She sneezed again and moved away. Her ears were titled strangely, pointed perpendicular to her body. Whatever was going on with her, Alucard didn’t pay much attention to it. Eskel was his top priority.</p>
<p>To Alucard’s intense relief, Eskel had stayed seated the whole time, though he was still as tense as a bowstring. His eyes flickered back and forth, going from Night, then to Alucard, then to the regular horses, and back again. Every time Night sneezed, Alucard could see him hold back a flinch, especially when her head was directed towards the beasts.</p>
<p>“Would you leave us, Night?” he asked, turning to the demon horse who looked like she was trying to wipe her nose on the nearest patch of grass. She was still sneezing every so often. “I think you are disturbing Eskel right now.”</p>
<p>Her sides expanded as she huffed out a grumpy sound. Her ears were still tilted at an awkward angle. With a loud neigh, red flames of pure magical power filled her eyes and then slowly spread down her body. A second or two later, she <i>leapt</i>, and disappeared in a flash of red light. </p>
<p>Eskel sat tense and waiting for another moment after she left. </p>
<p>Then slowly, bit by bit, he started to relax. He lowered his sword and the bright shine of the magical shield around him faded, though he kept his hand on the hilt.</p>
<p>“This is a really responsive hallucination.” Eskel looked Alucard up and down, and then glanced all around the camp again. What he kept looking at, Alucard wasn’t sure. Where his eyes focused didn’t quite coordinate with the actual, tangible things around the camp.</p>
<p>“I’m not a hallucination, Eskel,” Alucard said as gently as he could.</p>
<p>“Right,” Eskel said, without an ounce of belief in his voice. </p>
<p>He took a breath as if he was going to say something else, but then he deflated, his shoulder slumping down. He rested his sword back at his side and picked up his wet clothes again and went back to scrubbing. </p>
<p>“I guess,” he started slowly. “Even if you were here, or not, Alucard wouldn’t hurt me. So no need to get worked up over it.”</p>
<p>He looked at Alucard out of the corner of his eye, not quite making eye contact, but clearly keeping him in sight. There was a worried line on his brow and his lips pursed together.</p>
<p>Alucard decided that it was probably an <i>incredibly good thing</i> that Eskel hadn’t considered the possibility of a hostile person or creature that he might be hallucinating had Alucard’s face. He did not want this to turn into a fight.</p>
<p>“Eskel,” Alucard said, coming slowly closer to Eskel. The wet ground of the riverbank squelching under his feet. He paid it no mind.  </p>
<p>“Damn, this is cold,” Eskel said, visibly shivering. Still, he scrubbed at his clothes despite the fact that it didn’t look like he was being very effective with the movement. “The water is so soft, though. Like pudding. But cold.” He frowned. “I guess pudding could be cold. Wouldn’t clean my pants very well though. Gotta do that. Need to get this stuff off of me, off of them.” He paused, dunking his hands and the fabric back in the stream. “Damn, this is cold.”</p>
<p>“What stuff?” Alucard asked, inching closer still. His boots were now in the water, the small pebbles on the river bottom shifting under his weight.</p>
<p>“Hmm?” Eskel jerked up his head. “Oh. Alucard. Back again. Wow, what is wrong with my head today?” He lifted up his pants from the water as if to show Alucard what he was doing. “There are spores. It’s Geralt’s fault. If he’d just been a good fucking lover, and gave his vampires some flowers once in a while, we wouldn’t have gotten doused in gods be damn hallucinogenic mushroom spores.” He stopped and squinted at Alucard. “Why are you here?” He shook his head again. “Ah, right. You’re not here. You’re with Geralt. Because he finally got you both some flowers.” Eskel paused to preen a little. “I helped. Got his lazy ass up off the Path to go make it happen. For fuck’s sake, Geralt, have some fucking class. Leaving your lovers like that, flowerless.” </p>
<p>He shook his head again, and went back to scrubbing.</p>
<p>“He even got him some hearts, you know?” Eskel said scrubbing at his pants again. “And furs. But I think I still have the furs. Only so much Geralt can carry, even strong as he is.”</p>
<p>Alucard paused ankle deep in water, the very idea of getting gifts robbing him of his ability to move.</p>
<p>“... Hearts?” His mind conjured a ridiculous image of red painted cardboard cutouts with some glittery lettering on them before reality asserted itself. No. The witchers wouldn’t cut out paper hearts. They’d kill some humans to harvest their organs. Or rather, they <i>wouldn’t</i>. Not if they were in their right minds anyway.</p>
<p>Eskel nodded happily. “Fresh hearts. What’s more romantic than that? It’s… <i>from the heart</i>.” </p>
<p>He slumped forward, giggling like mad.</p>
<p>Alucard swallowed. He was still rooted to the spot. “What hearts? Whose hearts?”</p>
<p>It took a moment for Eskel to stop giggling. Then he wiped his face, sighing a little with amusement. </p>
<p>“Mmmm, yeah. Hearts. The hearts Geralt’s going to give to Dracula. I mean, we both got them, but Geralt’s the one who needs to give them over. He’s the the one you both love.” Eskel paused, looking pensive and a little sad for a moment. Then he shrugged, and went back to scrubbing. “They attacked us, so it’s not like we went out <i>looking</i> for hearts. It just kind of happened. Wolves for wolves. Fresh meat for us, fresh hearts for our favorite wolves. Assuming Dracula can turn into a wolf. Damn, it’s cold here.”</p>
<p>Alucard sagged a little in relief with the admission that Geralt and Eskel hadn’t actually harvested bandit hearts as a love gift.</p>
<p>“He can,” Alucard said. “He looks like a mangy mutt of all things, not much bigger than an actual wolf. Also, his fur is black.” He couldn’t help it. He rolled his eyes. Because, really? A black wolf. Could he have gone more cliché? </p>
<p>Alucard couldn’t really help the coloring of his other forms. They just <i>were</i>. Dracula was bound to no such convention. He simply enjoyed being a dramatic bastard. </p>
<p>“That makes sense,” Eskel said, nodding. He held up his pants and squinted at them. Then he gave them a good smell. This turned into him rubbing his face in the wet fabric, half-smiling. “Cold,” he muttered. “But soft. Kinda weird.”</p>
<p>Alucard roused himself from stillness and started inching towards the witcher again. “Eskel. Are you high?” Eskel had mentioned something about hallucinogenic spores. </p>
<p>“So, so high,” Eskel said, still half-smiling and rubbing his face in wet fabric. This had the, likely unintentional, side effect of cleaning the last remaining bits of dirt off of his face. “Gods, but I have been tripping all day. I can’t remember the last time I saw so much weird bullshit. Maybe back when we all tried Black Gull for the first time.”</p>
<p>He clutched the wet fabric to his chest and curled in, almost lazily resting his cheek on the bunched up leather. He watched Alucard approach with half-lidded eyes. </p>
<p>“You’re really pretty,” Eskel said softly.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Alucard said seriously. “I find you very attractive, too.”</p>
<p>Eskel snorted and rolled his eyes, and went back to rubbing his cheek against the leather. “I can’t figure that out,” he said slowly. “I’m not pretty like Geralt. If it’s the scars you like, they’re going away because of Dracula. And you, I guess.” He furrowed his brow and stared into the middle distance, clearly thinking hard. Then he rubbed his cheek a little more, and his face smoothed out again into a weird little grin. “This feels so crazy. Soft, but wet.”</p>
<p>“I have a type.” Alucard shrugged, completely unashamed. </p>
<p>All the while he continued to inch a little closer to Eskel. He was close enough now that he just needed one more step and he would be able to touch Eskel. Maybe then he could pull him out of this wretched, freezing river. Eskel was so cold that not only were there goosebumps all over his body, his lips were starting to turn blue, too.</p>
<p>“Hmmmm.” Eskel’s eyes fluttered closed. “This is a really nice hallucination. Way better than all the monsters and the bees and the demons. Kind of cruel, but eh.” He shrugged a little. “My head isn’t a very nice place, I guess.”</p>
<p>“I’m not a hallucination,” Alucard repeated for what felt like the hundredth time. He stepped closer again. Even though his boots hadn’t yet soaked through, his feet were already aching from the bitter mountain cold of this creek. He couldn’t imagine how Eskel could stand being in it for so long.</p>
<p>Alucard pulled his armored glove off his right hand and slowly reached out his bare hand towards Eskel’s shoulder. The witcher was watching him with the kind of idle focus one could spare a hallucination. “Eskel. You are not alone.”</p>
<p>His hand made contact with Eskel’s shoulder.</p>
<p>Sensation seared through him. Eskel was absolutely frigid to the touch. At the same time, a bizarre warmth that had nothing to do with actual temperatures flared up where their skin touched. Alucard had been getting a low, disjointed sense of Eskel’s mind before. Now that sensation had been magnified, nearly bowling him over with a wave of emotions.</p>
<p>There were so many different things radiating down their bond from Eskel’s mind. So many mixed up feelings of good and bad, hopes and fears, anxieties and satisfaction, that Alucard couldn’t parse them apart. Over it all was a running low mumbling, one he swore he could hear but somehow knew it wasn’t actually being spoken. Just <i>Alucard, Alucard, Alucard</i>, over and over, flavored with shock and bewilderment and a desperate kind of hope.</p>
<p>Before he could even come to grips with any of that, Alucard suddenly had an armful of Eskel’s body. His freezing cold, wet, mostly naked body, pressed up against him in a ridiculously tight hug.</p>
<p>Eskel shoved his face into Alucard’s jaw, rubbing down into his neck like a cat looking for love. Every single place they touched was like a livewire spark, lighting Alucard up with power and warmth. </p>
<p>This was so much like the last time they’d cuddled, weeks ago, but <i>more</i>, too. The tiny bit of his brain that was still functioning reminded him that their bond was blown open again, and of course Alucard would feel a difference when they touched. It was hard to keep that in mind when Eskel was pressing into him, his body both freezing and burning hot at the same time, and his thoughts flying in a dozen different directions.</p>
<p>“You’re here,” Eskel mumbled into Alucard’s coat. He squeezed him so tight that Alucard very nearly felt his ribs creak. Before he could say anything about that, Eskel eased up his grip and whispered, “Sorry. That was too much. Didn’t mean to.”</p>
<p>“Shh.” Alucard couldn’t stand Eskel apologizing, not with how much he felt right now. “You are so cold,” he murmured, realizing his own arms were wrapped tightly around Eskel.</p>
<p>“Yeah. Always cold.” Eskel rubbed his face into Alucard’s coat again. “It’s better now. You’re really warm.”</p>
<p>“We have to get out of the water,” Alucard said slowly. He was rubbing the side of his face against Eskel’s slowly, meditatively. It felt like his brain was on fire with a thousand different sensations.</p>
<p>“Gotta wash the spores off my clothes,” Eskel mumbled. “They’re making me high, making me see things. If I don’t get clean, I’m not gonna get my head straight.” He didn’t move to gather anything up though, he just stayed tightly wrapped around Alucard’s body. </p>
<p>“Please,” Alucard whispered. “You are so cold.” It distressed him for some reason, the thought that Eskel was cold, was hungry, in need. He ached to warm him, to swaddle him in blankets and put him in front of the fire, to feed him something. The need to soothe whatever was wrong was far beyond what he would consider a rational response to someone he cared about being in distress. He was <i>overwhelmed</i> with the urge to fix every little thing that was wrong. It was incredibly upsetting, in a way that he was entirely unprepared to manage.</p>
<p>“Hush, everything’s alright,” Eskel said soothingly. “I’ll get out if you want, just don’t be sad.” He squeezed Alucard tightly again, practically willing their bodies to meld together. “Just gotta… get my stuff.” But he didn’t move at all, he just leaned into Alucard’s arms.</p>
<p>“I will get it,” Alucard promised. “In a bit. After you are in front of the fire. I promise.”</p>
<p>Something like pleasure mixed with care and a touch of love swam through their connection, and Eskel practically purred in his arms. “You always keep your promises,” he grumbled happily. “I like that. Like how honest both you and Dracula are.”</p>
<p>Rather than pulling away to move, Eskel just pushed them both towards shore, herding Alucard towards the campfire. Alucard <i>had</i> thought that it was a little large for a warm summer night, but now he was just grateful for the extra heat it would give off.</p>
<p>It wasn’t easy, moving towards the camp when both of them were so tangled together and unwilling to let the other go. They half stumbled, half walked towards the pile of bags left near the blazing fire. Every step away from the glacially cold stream was a relief.</p>
<p>--</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>--</p><p>“Careful,” Eskel said as they slowly migrated towards the campfire. “Bet you the spores are all over the plants too.” </p><p>Alucard was nearly bowled over as a new wave of satisfaction rolled through them both. Eskel was contemplating the enormous pile of harvested greenery next to the horses. Prior to this moment, Alucard hadn’t paid a single whit’s worth of attention to whatever goods were placed around the camp. With the feeling of Eskel’s smug pleasure thrumming through him, he couldn’t help but take a look.</p><p>When Alucard glanced over to the mount of bags and stacked greenery, he could see a strange double image layered over everything. </p><p>One set of images was the world as he saw it, with the horses and the bags, the pile of plants, and the saddles resting off to the side. And then there was a ghostly layer of <i>other</i> images. Swirling mists and creeping vines that crawled around like snakes as they were bound up. Old wounds on both of the horses wept blood, and the fire had creatures living inside of it.</p><p><i>Eskel’s hallucinations</i>, Alucard realized with a start. He really was seeing things, and only part of them corresponded with what one might see of the magical energies spread through the world. </p><p>“Fire’s nice,” Eskel said. “But we’ll get dirty if we sit next to it. Should get a blanket, but they’re in my pack. Maybe your coat, but you’re wearing it. My clothes will work. I should go get them. Finish getting them clean so we can lay down.” </p><p>Alucard could tell that Eskel was struggling to string his thoughts together into something coherent. Despite all of his effort, the end results were extremely mixed. And still, Eskel didn’t really move away from Alucard at all; he was too busy rubbing his face into Alucard’s lapel.</p><p>“My coat will do,” Alucard said after a moment. It took effort to untangle enough to shrug it off of his shoulders. The heavy garment fell to the ground with a hard thump.</p><p>“Yes, that’s good.” Eskel hummed in satisfaction. </p><p>There was some kind of rapid calculation that flew through Eskel’s mind, something too quick for Alucard to catch. </p><p>Then they were both on the ground with Eskel pressed down on top of Alucard. He’d done some kind of a grapple that Alucard hadn’t even seen coming, and executed it so quickly that Alucard hadn’t even had time to react. Now, he was very firmly pinned to the ground by Eskel’s body, with both of them right on top of his coat.</p><p>Fuck. For a moment, Alucard was extremely grateful for how cold the river had left them. It deterred his body from getting too interested at that very expert takedown.</p><p>“Hmmm. Maybe we should have spread it out first,” Eskel muttered to himself. He started shifting the coat under them, pulling and twisting, trying to get more coverage between them and the ground without actually moving either of them off of it first.</p><p>“Uh,” Alucard couldn’t actually muster the ability to protest, not with how Eskel’s thigh was rubbing vigorously against certain sensitive parts of his anatomy.</p><p>“Almost…” Eskel tugged and pulled some more, pressing them both further into the ground as he tried to get leverage to move the fabric under them and settle the armored plates. Finally, he managed to get a little bit pulled out on either side of Alucard’s body, making sure it was spread evenly under them. </p><p>“Eh, close enough,” Eskel said with a shrug, and then stretched out on top of Alucard. </p><p>This was quickly followed by squirming that somehow managed to rub them against each other from head to toe. Thankfully, that only lasted for a moment, and then he heaved a deep happy sigh and settled into place with his arms wrapped around Alucard’s shoulders and his head tucked into Alucard’s neck.</p><p>That whole process felt entirely too good. Far, far too good. </p><p>Still, Alucard was a little relieved that Eskel had finally settled down. He could feel through their connection that Eskel enjoyed the contact, and that his last bit of squirming around had been a deliberate, done just because he wanted to feel their bodies rub up against each other. There were hints of arousal in his scent, too. But from what Alucard could tell, the primary purpose of his movements wasn’t seduction; Eskel was just very, very happy that they were touching.</p><p>His body was so cold. The lips that were barely brushing against Alucard’s neck felt like ice, and the hands wrapped around his shoulder and tangled in his hair were almost burning, they were so chilled. </p><p>Alucard didn’t know what to do. He didn’t even know what to think. Outside of Dracula and Geralt, Eskel was the only person to ever touch him in kindness -- at least for the last several centuries, and barring the extremely rare touches from various people who knew him as Trevor Belmont, CEO. </p><p>Remaining unmoved when sparks of wonderful sensation inspired by Eskel’s gentle hands exploded behind his eyelids was so difficult. It felt good on so many different levels. There was a warmth deep in his chest that kept spreading the longer they were in skin-to-skin contact, there was the purely physical warmth that started gathering in his groin from all the rubbing and shifting that Eskel was doing, and there was an even a newer, sweeter form of warmth that had settled somewhere deep inside his being at the open connection between them.</p><p>“Can’t believe you’re here,” Eskel said quietly. He’d warmed up enough that he was shivering now, though he didn’t seem to notice it. “You’re real. I can feel it. You’re real.”</p><p>“You are not alone.” Alucard tangled his fingers into Eskel’s wet brown hair and pressed Eskel’s face firmly into his neck. “You will never be alone. Not as long as either Dracula or I exist. I might die, it is possible that I could be destroyed, but Dracula is eternal. One of us will always be there for you, Eskel.” </p><p>He remembered the bitter, lonely words that he’d heard while scrying. How sure Eskel was of being alone, how utterly impossible it seemed to him that Alucard would come for him. </p><p>Eskel shook a little in Alucard’s arms, and not just from the cold. More of that wasp’s nest of anxiety, fear, and resignation bubbled up inside of him, flowing across their connection like poison. A half a dozen different partially formed thoughts flitted through Eskel’s mind. </p><p>“You have more important things to worry about,” Eskel said finally. “And Dracula…” Another shiver raced through him. “I have mixed feelings about.”</p><p>Spikes of lust twined with longing and hope inside of him, all of which mixed in with real fear and deep-seated anxiety.</p><p>“We both want you safe and happy, Eskel,” Alucard promised. “Father is doing what he can to assure that.”</p><p>There was a suspicious sniff and Eskel nuzzled into Alucard’s neck. His grip tightened again and then released. “You <i>do not understand</i>,” Eskel said anxiously. “You and Geralt tell me all the time about what he wants from you and it is not the same as me.”</p><p>“I didn’t think you wanted him to ask the same things from you,” Alucard said, confused. </p><p>Dracula acted softer with Eskel than he did with Alucard and Geralt. In contrast, Alucard had never wanted or expected slow seduction from Dracula. His Father made it clear that if anything was to happen between them, Alucard would be the one to start it. Dracula would not be the one to initiate anything, period. </p><p>So Alucard had. </p><p>He’d dived in headfirst because while he might be the more responsible one, the calmer one, he was still a Belmont and fear was not something a Belmont would let stop him. He pushed for closeness between them and let Dracula feel what Alucard wanted, what he desired. Their blood connection meant that they’d skipped the initial seduction phases of a relationship. They already <i>knew</i> what the other wanted, and what the other wasn’t willing to give. </p><p>Geralt had kind of plowed in headfirst into the relationship, too, affording Dracula the kind of blind faith, trust, that nobody ever had before. That had secured him a place in Dracula’s heart almost immediately.</p><p>Eskel was making Dracula fight to remember what it was like to be human and how normal humans worked. He made Dracula work to gain favor and trust. For all that Dracula wasn’t human, and hadn’t been for a dreadfully long time, Alucard thought that he’d been doing a good job of letting Eskel set the pace.</p><p>“Is there something I don’t know?” Alucard asked carefully, his mind working furiously to remember any detail that Dracula might have told him about Eskel and their relationship together.</p><p>Eskel made a sad, half-laugh. Alucard could feel how his mind struggled to put things into words.</p><p>“Probably. Probably a lot. I’m just. He.” Eskel shook his head, and there was that thinking feeling again. He took a breath and rubbed his whole body against Alucard again, obviously trying to reassure himself. “There’s a lot that’s good. He makes me… hope… in ways I hadn’t ever expected to. Dracula terrifies me in about a dozen different ways, too.” </p><p>Images and feelings flashed across the bond and Alucard could tell that Eskel felt the situation was complicated. It reminded him of watching someone do an advanced engineering calculation; there were a dozen different things being weighed and measured, all in the blink of an eye. </p><p>Layered into that internal debate was a deep sense of weariness and stress, as if even just thinking about it was taxing. </p><p>“And don’t say, ‘yes, he is terrifying’, or ‘of course he is, you’ll get used to it’, or ‘that’s what you get for getting involved with him’, because <i>you do not understand</i> what I mean.” Eskel’s voice had picked up a little, but there was an edge of desperation to what he was saying.</p><p>He paused and took a breath. A deep well of anxiety pressed into Alucard, nearly taking his breath away.</p><p>“What do you mean?” Alucard asked quietly.</p><p>“It’s a mess,” Eskel said softly. “And I don’t know how to make it work without getting hurt. And I know, witchers are supposed to hurt. We’re made to endure it. It’s what we do. But…” His voice dropped to a low whisper. “I’d kind of hoped that this wouldn’t hurt.” Then there was a low crunch of his teeth grinding right in Alucard’s ear. “And I can’t even fucking explain. This doesn’t make sense. I’m so bad at words.” That last bit was said almost pleadingly.</p><p>He curled his body around Alucard’s, and tangibly tried to marshal his thoughts. His mind was so disjointed, and the emotions rolling through him felt strangely unchecked. Wild, almost. </p><p>It had to be because of whatever substance Eskel had breathed in, the spores he’d been talking about. Whatever it was had not only affected what he was seeing, but it had mentally unbalanced him.</p><p>That didn’t mean that his anxieties were manufactured, though. This was obviously something that had been weighing on his mind, from the feel of that internal calculation. Alucard couldn’t tell how much of Eskel’s distress was genuine, and how much was simply an amplification created by the drugs in his system.</p><p>Regardless of whether or not his anxieties were a bad drug trip or actual regular worries, his current upset was real, and it made Alucard’s heart hurt.</p><p>“Show me?” Alucard moved his bare hand to Eskel’s back and spread it there, ramping up the skin contact and nudging at the bond. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea, but Alucard couldn’t quite remember why. Eskel was in pain and Alucard didn’t like it. That was all that mattered.</p><p>“It’ll hurt you,” Eskel warned, but there was a flavor to his thoughts that told Alucard he was tempted, eager even, to explain in a way that someone would understand.</p><p>“How can it hurt me?”</p><p>What he got back wasn’t words, or even thoughts. It was a fragment of a memory, shoved into Alucard’s mind as if he himself was living it.</p><p><i>Everything was pain. Terrible, awful pain. Blood coated his body and drenched his senses. His bones were broken and his lungs didn’t work. He was hung up against a wall, chained, stretched as his own body weight painfully dragged him down.</i> </p><p><i>In front of him was darkness. Swirling, black shadows and the scent of burning power radiating out from Dracula’s eyes.</i> </p><p>
  <i>A clawed hand on his chin forced his face up.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“No, I don’t wan---” he tried to say.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“I’m not asking your permission,” Dracula said, his voice low and vibrating through every stone in the wall and every bone in his body. “Now be a good witcher and swallow.”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Then there was a kiss, and fire poured into him.</i>
</p><p>The memory cut off ruthlessly after that. </p><p>Alucard felt Eskel’s remembered horror dissipate and swallowed hard against his dry throat.</p><p>He tried to martial his thoughts. That memory had to be from Steingard’s dungeon.</p><p>That was… That was a lot to process. </p><p>Sadly, it felt similar in some ways to things that Alucard remembered from his own human life. But also so, so different. </p><p>Dracula had never forced his power on Alucard like that, not in a way that he could remember. Perhaps that was what it would have felt like when Alucard was turned into a vampire, but he’d already been dead at that point. He had no memory of Dracula’s attempt to save his life. </p><p>They’d fought, before and after that point, and for many centuries. The fighting was vicious and bloody and painful. Then they’d forged an uneasy alliance. Dracula had allowed Alucard to stab him through the heart, and send him into a centuries-long slumber. When Dracula had awoken, the two of them had become allies. And then lovers.</p><p>Never once had Alucard ever felt as trapped and <i>scared</i> as Eskel had in that memory. Not with Dracula. </p><p>But by the same token, Alucard had seen how Dracula did his rough best to treat Eskel gently. The more time passed, the more Dracula learned what was a blunder that Eskel wouldn’t tolerate and what he could do without upsetting the witcher. Alucard had seen it in action. Even this terrifying memory had to be from Dracula’s heavy handed attempts to heal him. The intended result wasn’t to harm him further; the terror had simply been a side effect.</p><p>That didn’t excuse his actions, but it was clear to Alucard that he was <i>attempting</i> to do right by Eskel.</p><p>Some of this had to be a simple… translation issue, for lack of a better term. Dracula might look fairly human most of the time, but he really, really wasn’t. </p><p>Though, shockingly, Dracula was obviously attempting to treat Eskel as he wanted to be treated. The learning curve would be an absolute nightmare. For everyone involved, likely.</p><p>“His power was not given to him,” Alucard said eventually. “It wasn’t inherited. It was born of pain. Horrifying, soul destroying pain that wouldn’t and won’t ever end. Because of that… he doesn’t see things like broken bones or physical damage as anything more terrifying or horrible than you would a bee sting. It’s unpleasant but ultimately inconsequential to him.” Alucard exhaled. “I’m not saying that his actions are right or good, I’m just trying to give you context for how he perceives certain things. How sometimes I, too, perceive them,” he admitted finally. “Being a vampire also changes how we perceive pain. It’s a sign of life and it has certain sweetness to it because of that.”</p><p>“I am grateful that I was healed,” Eskel said quietly. “And I am glad to be alive. But Alucard… I didn’t want it and I couldn’t stop him. I think it’s better now, and I know he’s trying to… he’s <i>trying</i>. I still worry about it, though. That Dracula will do something for my own good, or something <i>he</i> sees as not terribly detrimental to me, but that I… don’t want to handle.”</p><p>“Do you really believe that he would?” Alucard asked quietly. “Before you answer, consider your words. Dracula may look human, may claim to be a vampire but… but he is a god, mostly. Chaos power made flesh. He is not human, Eskel. Not even close and what you <i>believe</i>, the kind of <i>faith</i> you have in him… that will affect how he is.”</p><p>Misery poured out of Eskel and he started to shake again. The double image that overlaid the world around them grew darker, and the gently moving shapes and fanciful creatures that had mixed in with reality grew sharper. More dangerous looking. </p><p>“People keep telling me that I should trust him and go with it, or not to and leave, and I think I might break if he is gone but I might break if he stays, and even <i>Dracula</i> won’t say that he won’t break me, only that he’ll <i>try</i> not to. You and Geralt like things so rough, and Dracula likes that, too. And Alucard, both of you say you understand how he wants to own me, but you <i>don’t</i>. It’s more...” The near frantic pace of his speaking trailed off, as if he’d suddenly run out of words.</p><p>Alucard was silent for a long time. He lay there and simply dragged his hand over Eskel’s slowly warming back, and counted the seconds by how Eskel’s ribs expanded and contracted when he breathed. Eskel was practically hiding his face in Alucard’s neck, and clutched one of his hands into Alucard’s hair.</p><p>When the imaginary shadows around them had receded again, and Eskel’s breathing had turned steady once more, Alucard said, “I don’t know if this will help or not, but Father believes, down to the very core of him, that he is incapable of being gentle or careful, especially with humans. Even before he was changed by the power of the Lords of Shadows, the people he trusted the most, loved the most, never believed in him. They always chose to manipulate him, for everything, instead of just… asking. That’s why he accepted our friendship so easily, why he let Geralt into our relationship so quickly. He wanted somebody there who could take care of me in the inevitable event of him breaking me in some way.” </p><p>Alucard swallowed, suddenly realizing how important his insistence that he could not be corrupted by Dracula was to their relationship. “It’s not through inattention or for his amusement, that he plans for this eventuality. He expects to hurt everybody he loves simply because he is the one that loves them.” Alucard exhaled, admitting to himself the horrible truth of that. “And because he is not a human anymore, not even a vampire, but a power in and of itself, that potential will always exist. Because as much as he is the ruler of the power, it also aches to please him.” </p><p>He wanted so much to just tell Eskel that there was nothing to worry about, but he couldn’t. Not with what already happened, with the bonds that had been forced on him and the mark on his chest. </p><p>Things kept happening and spiralling out of control so fast.</p><p>Eskel nosed into Alucard’s jaw, clinging to him. “I’m used to pain, and risk, and fear,” he said roughly. “That happens. But Dracula… and you… you both can harm me in ways that... that I don’t know I can recover from. Dracula likes it when I serve him, and I…” Eskel swallowed hard. “I like it, too. I like pleasing him. But I have some pretty steep limits on what I enjoy, things that I know he regularly likes, and I know that if he asked I would ignore all of them regardless. And I can’t, I can’t say no to him. He said he’d stop if I say something, and he’s trusting me to say it, but… but sometimes I can’t. So what happens when he wants more than I can bear and <i>I can’t say no</i>?” That last question was said in a hoarse whisper as Eskel’s desperation grew too much to be contained.</p><p>Alucard frowned as he tried to parse Eskel’s words into something he could relate to.</p><p>“What do you mean?” he finally had to ask. At this point, he didn’t want to assume too much.</p><p>Eskel shifted against Alucard’s body, rubbing them together in new and interesting ways, as another fresh mix of emotions flowed through the open connection between them. The arousal and lust Alucard almost expected; they were talking about sex with Dracula after all. The embarrassment, anxiety, and shame was more worrisome. </p><p>“I like pleasing him,” Eskel said quietly. “It’s not even a sex thing. I just… like it when he’s happy. And this last week, he and I…”</p><p>There was a quick flash of memory in Eskel’s mind. </p><p>
  <i>Dracula laid out on a couch under him, with one hand in Eske’s hair and a thumb pressed into his lower lip. The lust and want and the need to <b>serve</b> was overpowering, lacing everything with honey sweetness. Dracula’s cock was hard and hot in Eskel’s hand, and Dracula’s eyes were glowing with hunger.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Kiss it,” Dracula rumbled.</i>
</p><p>Then the memory was cut off.</p><p>Alucard squirmed up against Eskel, both of them breathing hard for a moment.</p><p>“He. We…” Eskel tried again, stuttering through the words. “I wanted to do anything for him. I would have done anything. Things I know I would have regretted, in hindsight. Gods, it was so <i>good</i> too.” There was that pleasure-lust-shame feeling again. “I didn’t know I would do that. I think I might be broken. How can I expect Dracula to keep me safe when I can’t tell him what will be too much?”</p><p>“I...” Alucard licked his lips as he fought down his visceral reaction to that image, to the sensations and emotions that were pouring off of Eskel in that one short memory. “I… give in to him a lot, I like it when he takes charge, when he pushes or… forces me,” Alucard admitted. He’d had years to come to terms with his desires, and the way a strong grip and merciless touch made him go liquid with pleasure. “I don’t think I’ve ever feared that Dracula would go too far, or cause damage to me.”</p><p>“You like the pain, though,” Eskel said. “You’ve said so often enough. My whole damn life hurts. I just want to be safe for a while.”</p><p>“I’m…” Alucard had to stop and think.</p><p>He cast his mind back to his first nights with Dracula. He was ruthless in his stamina, and in how often he could force pleasure out of Alucard’s tired body, but any pain he caused was just an unintended consequence of his quest to make Alucard come again and again.</p><p>“I… don’t think he enjoys causing pain for pain’s sake,” Alucard said carefully. “Pain seems to be a… side effect most of the time. Either of his vampiric tendencies or his merciless desire to drag more orgasms out of me.” Alucard paused, realizing something. “Geralt is more willing to cause pain actually, just for pain’s sake. I don’t think he gets off on causing it, either.”</p><p>Some of the darker emotions twisting through Eskel abated as he mulled this over. That gnarled knot of near-frantic anxiety unclenched a bit. </p><p>Maybe it was the contact, or maybe it was just how much time had passed, but Eskel’s thoughts seemed slightly more coherent, as well. Slightly. </p><p>“Geralt likes it rough, too,” Eskel said. “You both… you do things with Dracula that make me want to run for a healing potion.”</p><p>“Yes,” Alucard admitted, freely aware that if he wasn’t a vampire, then he wouldn’t be able to indulge himself quite as much. “But, have you considered that it wasn’t something he asked of us?” Alucard asked. “Geralt gets off on danger and power. After meeting Yennefer and Triss, I know he liked that long before he met Dracula and I. As for me… it’s something I always wanted and Dracula merely gave it to me. It’s very possible he will be different with you.” </p><p>Then Alucard considered his words and then smirked.</p><p>“As long as you accept you won’t get away with anything less than five orgasms at the very minimum,” he couldn’t help but tease. Dracula was dangerous and terrifying, it was true, but he was also exceedingly focused on making his lovers feel good. A <i>lot</i>. As many times as he could possibly wring out of them. Because he was the physical personification of the term ‘overachiever’.</p><p>Eskel hummed, and the tension in him dropped by another degree. He began stroking one hand up and down Alucard’s side. </p><p>Each touch was perfect, and Alucard had to stop himself from arching up into it. The movement seemed almost an absent-minded reflex for Eskel. He seemed distracted, and Alucard could still feel how his thoughts twisted and turned on each other. </p><p>Alucard licked his lips and tried to follow suit and not focus on that delicious sensation.</p><p>Instead, he mulled over how upset Eskel seemed to be, and how worried. Alucard had not expected this, not at all. From what little he’d learned from Dracula about his developing relationship with Eskel, he’d gotten the impression of snail-slow progress but a positive experience in general.</p><p>“Have you considered,” Alucard said and paused, unsure of how to put what he felt into words. “... That all of your information comes from people that… enjoy various levels of pain mixed in with sex?” He blushed, just a little, mostly from how uncomfortable this conversation was getting. For multiple reasons. “As a vampire, sex and pain for me is… it’s good. Really good. Geralt likes it, too.” Alucard closed his eyes tightly and hoped he would never have to repeat the next words. “I know Dracula was very happy with my mother and she didn’t seem like the kind of person who would enjoy the same types of games as Geralt or I do.”</p><p>He didn’t really remember Marie from when he was alive, but he’d spoken with her ghost several times. She did not <i>at all</i> give him the impression that she enjoyed being dominated or pain in the bedroom. Not only that, but every impression that he’d gotten from his Father implied that Dracula had treated her with the utmost reverence.</p><p>This was the absolute last thing that he wanted to think about. He gritted his teeth and tried to do so anyways, if only to prepare to answer any questions that Eskel might have and give him some peace of mind.</p><p>There was another long pause as Eskel thought that over. </p><p>More of the unhappiness and worry coming from Eskel diminished as he considered things. Alucard focused on the warmth between them, on every glorious point that they were connected, rather than what Eskel’s mind was telling him -- telling them both, really -- was going on around them. He tried to radiate that warmth up, showing Eskel that he was safe. The last thing either of them needed was for Eskel’s mind to get lost in his own worries, and then spin them into existence as hallucinations. </p><p>In a strange way, it was similar to Dracula’s castle. That place had a way of bringing nightmares to life. Quite literally.</p><p>Eskel shifted again, this time very deliberately rubbing their chests together and using his thigh to give Alucard’s groin a firm caress. </p><p>Before Alucard could do more than let out a strained sigh, Eskel had stopped, and settled back to just being a human blanket on top of him. There was no intent to tease in his mind, just the soft pleasure that came from touching. It was so incidental, so layered in with the rest of Eskel’s anxieties and fears and confusion on what was going on that it was clear the touches were an unconscious movement. Just something that felt good.</p><p>And it did feel very, very good.</p><p>Alucard took a hard breath.</p><p>“Everyone says it will hurt. Penetration, I mean,” Eskel said finally. “Dracula can make me come, regardless of that. With his bite and his power. But it can still <i>hurt</i>.” </p><p>There was a brief mental flash of being wrapped up in Dracula’s arms, with power and lust raging through him like a storm, his body ready for release but his mind begging, <i>no, no, no, I don’t want this</i>. </p><p>“It’s better now that we’ve worked some things out,” Eskel said softly in the wake of that short memory. “That was how we started, but that’s… things have changed since then. And he bites me a lot, which, I… do enjoy. Very much. So it’s not like that <i>now</i>. It could be, though. Sometimes I worry.” </p><p>Eskel shifted a little. His skin was finally starting to feel warm against Alucard’s body. The last of the chill from the river had faded, and Eskel’s hair was only damp at most.</p><p>“He makes it really good, you know,” Alucard said quietly. “He’s big, yeah, and that is never just going to be simply comfortable, but it’s the good kind of pain, you know? The soreness that lasts and lasts is a <i>good</i> thing. A <i>good</i> kind of ache.”</p><p>“Geralt said I won’t be able to walk for days,” Eskel said quietly. “You know how much damage I had to take the last time I was down for days?”</p><p>Another visceral memory ripped through the connection between them, just a flicker and then quickly repressed. For that moment, Alucard was laying in the mud, covered in dirt and blood, scrambling to press a gut wound closed while still firing a one handed crossbow at something flying high up in the air, a dark shadow with feathers, talons, and sharp beak.</p><p>“Sorry,” Eskel said softly. “Didn’t mean for you to see that.”</p><p>Alucard petted Eskel’s hair, soothing away the apology.</p><p>“Let me show you,” Alucard said, feeling more shy than he had any right to. “It’s hard to explain but… I think you need to see it to understand what Geralt means, what I mean when I say you won’t be able to walk afterwards.” </p><p>Alucard let his hand drag up Eskel’s back to his neck and then wrapped his fingers under the base of his skull. It sent a little thrill through him, the sensation of hot skin, the hardness of the bone he could feel under it, and the subtle shift of powerful tendons that twitched beneath his fingers.</p><p>He felt more than heard Eskel’s agreement, and reached for the memory he wanted to show him. </p><p>It was one of many, so many, when Dracula had taken the time to really focus on Alucard, to fuck him beyond the limits of his stamina. A time when the pleasure had continued on and on for so long that Alucard had lost himself in it, when pain and ecstasy had blurred into one long, endless sensual experience that robbed him of any sense of time. </p><p>Afterwards, he was left floating almost outside of his body. He could feel the burn of overused muscles. The ache of his exhausted body was nothing compared with the utter lack of strength, a relaxation so deep it felt almost like paralysis. The thorough fucking had left his body soft, heavy, and unresponsive. Nothing mattered much beyond just drifting in this state of delightful weariness. The sensations of peace and tiredness were so deeply ingrained, so overwhelming, that he wasn’t capable of moving even if he’d needed to. All he could do was just rest as he idly relished the humming afterglow, the twitching and prickling of his tired muscles, and the ache of emptiness after being filled for so long.</p><p>Sometimes he would stay floating that way for long hours, maybe days even. Time never mattered at that point. </p><p>“Oh,” Eskel said softly, and a little curl of pleasure and excitement rippled through the bond. “Oh… That’s…” He let out a sharp exhale. “But… I was pretty sore after this last week. There were a lot of bites. We didn’t even fuck and there were a lot of bites.” The implication was that he was worried how far Dracula would go if and when they ever got around to penetrative sex.</p><p>Alucard fought the instinctive reaction to check over Eskel’s body for any remaining sign. He knew there wouldn’t be, and not just because he’d already gotten a good look of Eskel as he was walking up. All witchers had enhanced healing, and whatever Eskel had gotten up to in the past week had probably had him drinking healing potions on top of that.</p><p>It was true that Dracula seemed to enjoy marking up Eskel a little more than he did Alucard or Geralt. When Geralt was recovering in Castlevania City, Eskel had sported marks on his neck nearly every moment Dracula was there. Sometimes they trailed down his shoulders and chest too.</p><p>Just looking at them had made Alucard twitch, especially after the accidental bonding. He couldn’t tell if he wanted to heal them, cover them up, or overlay them with his own. Maybe all of the above.</p><p>He also knew just how possessive Dracula could be.</p><p>But the way Eskel sounded now, again Alucard had to wonder. Just how different was Eskel’s experience from his own?</p><p>“You do know biting for a vampire is almost the same thing as penetration right?”</p><p>Eskel jerked a little in Alucard’s arms, and twisted around to look up at him.</p><p>“Is it?” he asked, sounding a little surprised. “I mean, Dracula likes it, and Geralt said that he figured it was a stand in for sex, but…”</p><p>“Yes, it is” Alucard confirmed, blushing a little at the memory of tasting Eskel’s blood on Dracula’s lips. It was almost like getting to taste Eskel after Dracula had fucked him already. He didn’t think it would feel any different to eating Eskel out after Dracula had finally gotten his way with him. His scent, his taste, his fluids... all of that on Dracula’s mouth.</p><p>“Oh.” Eskel squirmed hard against Alucard, and the scent of his arousal started to fill the air. “I, uh, I didn’t mean to keep propositioning you, when I invited you to bite” he said, and there was a flavor of embarrassment to his words. “But still. You’re welcome to it. If you want it. The biting, I mean.”</p><p>There was a little flash, a shred of a memory of being held in Dracula’s arms, head pulled back and claws on his stomach, with Alucard sucking and licking at his neck. Each touch of lips and teeth and tongue on him sent shivers of pleasure through him.</p><p>That thought faded and another took its place. It was blurry, indistinct. Something rooted in fantasy rather than memory.</p><p>Alucard, pressed down into a bed, flat on his chest with Eskel’s hand tight in his hair. A soft gasp of bliss on his face, and Eskel’s hands trailing up and over his back and ass, moving him, positioning him however Eskel wanted. </p><p>Then that too was cut off.</p><p>“S-sorry,” Eskel said softly, shuddering slightly against him. “Dracula and I talked a little about you. And what you like.”</p><p>“... Really?” Alucard had no excuse for how good that sounded. He was grateful for his leather pants now, because his body was becoming very, very on board with the current subject matter. Eskel’s was, too, for that matter, though Alucard tried to ignore that as well.</p><p>Eskel nodded, rubbing his lips across Alucard’s neck. “I told him that I wanted to try… more with you. He agreed to share you -- or me, I suppose -- if he and I become lovers.” He laid a gentle kiss on Alucard’s pulse point, and paused for a moment to take a deep breath in. Taking in Alucard’s scent. “Sometimes he brings it up. To seduce me, I think.”</p><p>“It’s a habit of his, yes,” Alucard said roughly, remembering the way Dracula would talk about Eskel sometimes when they had sex.</p><p>“Oh?” Eskel sounded very interested, and the musky scent of his arousal strengthened. He was also rather insistently hard against Alucard’s hip, but he didn’t seem inclined to do anything about it. He just kept stroking up and down Alucard’s side, petting him. </p><p>“Yes,” Alucard confirmed, squirming under the petting. “I try not to let him, because he didn’t ask you if he can, but he still does it. He talks about the things he could do to you, that we could do. Things you could do, too.”</p><p>Another soft shudder ran through Eskel and the petting paused for a breath. Then it started up again.</p><p>“I don’t mind if he talks to you about me,” Eskel said softly. “But if you don’t want to hear it, stop him. I don’t want you uncomfortable.”</p><p>“It’s not that,” Alucard said. “I don’t want to use you.”</p><p>Alucard could feel Eskel smile against his neck. “I’m volunteering.” He pressed another soft kiss to Alucard’s neck. “And even if we never become lovers, I’m volunteering to be bitten, too. We’ll figure something out that leaves you happy if you don’t want to... to do more than cuddle with me after.” He shifted a little, almost hiding into Alucard’s shoulder again. “It feels odd to offer that, knowing it’s like sex for you. I don’t want to pressure you. Or make you feel bad. Or… any of that. And you don’t need to answer me, or even say yes or no. It’s just an option, that <i>you</i> get to choose, because I’ll be happy either way.” He kissed Alucard’s shoulder. “It’s no trouble for me at all. I, uh, really like it. And I <i>really</i> like seeing you happy, and cared for.”</p><p>Alucard gently scritched Eskel’s scalp as he considered the offer. The subject of feeding was a complicated one for him.</p><p>“If I ever… it wouldn’t feel like it feels when Dracula does it,” Alucard said. “I have no idea how to project sensations the way he does. I’m not sure I am even capable of that. It would probably just feel like pain, like a simple bite.”</p><p>Eskel shrugged. “We can tackle that if it comes up.” He nuzzled into Alucard’s neck. “If you’re worried about causing me pain, just have Dracula bite me, too. Or let him bite first. Or just…” He shook his head. “I’m sorry. I’m pushing. Thinking about your marks on me is <i>really</i> distracting.” His whole body tensed for a second and then released. Then he resumed his gentle petting.</p><p>“I can’t… I can’t reconcile causing anybody pain for the sake of my pleasure, even if it’s for food.” </p><p>Alucard swallowed, his mind spiralling suddenly back to that moment that Dracula had awoken from his centuries long sleep. How disjointed Dracula’s memory had been at the time and how dried up and thin his body had been, with all the wrinkles and the white hair. He’d looked like a dead body. He’d barely been able to walk at all. </p><p>Back then, Alucard hadn’t been close to Dracula. They were allies in the fight to kill Satan, yes. But he hadn’t yet had any true understanding of his Father’s heart. He’d known from the start of their plan that when Dracula awoke, he would need sustenance to regain even a portion of his abilities. </p><p>Alucard had been disguised as Zobek’s lieutenant at the time. He’d seen the family that had been acquired to feed Dracula’s waking hunger as they’d been dragged into a secure room with Dracula’s barely moving body. He’d seen them being locked in there, in darkness. Could smell the fear, could hear the cries. He knew what their fate would be.</p><p>And he’d walked away.</p><p>He knew there was a purpose to it, a reason. Saving that one family would mean somebody else being killed. Or worse, Dracula might have shaken off his lethargy and gone hunting by himself. He shuddered at the very thought of hunger driving Dracula’s actions. Who <i>knew</i> when a feeding glut like that would have ended. </p><p>So he’d stood back and let the atrocity happen even though he could have stopped it. He’d let it happen and had never quite forgiven himself for it.</p><p>Alucard never, <i>ever</i>, wanted to be the cause of that sort of horror.</p><p>Eskel hummed into Alucard’s neck and a fresh wave of comfort spread through the bond. His body was warm and wonderfully heavy, and Alucard could tell he was trying to console him.</p><p>“Have you considered practicing on Dracula?" Eskel asked quietly. "I don't know if it would work, but I bet he'd let you try if you explained why. Probably would let you even if you didn't.”</p><p>Alucard sighed. “I can’t try with him. The blood bond between us makes the point moot. The moment we share blood it connects us on a telepathic level.”</p><p>“Hmmmm.” Eskel squirmed against him, and urged Alucard arms to hold him tighter. “If… if you’re asking my advice… let Dracula bite, then, and lick or gently suck.” His body tightened above Alucard’s for a moment, and there was another barely there flicker of the memory of Alucard licking at his neck. Even while Alucard could feel Eskel’s enjoyment, it was a little disorienting to see an image of himself doing something, and to feel it on his own skin. </p><p>“I don’t know,” Alucard said helplessly. Drinking blood was so much more for him than just food. It was all wrapped up into who and what he was, and what his whole life stood for. It hurt, on many levels, just thinking of breaking his enforced abstinence.</p><p>Eskel cuddled him closer, pushing his face harder into Alucard’s neck and doing his best to rock them gently together.</p><p>“I’m sorry. I won’t bring it up again,” Eskel whispered. “I’m here for you, and whatever makes you happiest. Or whatever makes the pain the least it can be.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Alucard said shakily. He couldn’t, just <i>couldn’t</i> talk about simply feeding.</p><p>Eskel hummed soothingly, and continued to rock him gently. The song started out as something that sounded like a lullaby but quickly devolved into aimless crooning. Eskel’s arms were warm around him. It was easy to close his eyes and lean up into that touch, to rub his cheek against Eskel’s head and keep them close together. </p><p>Power had slowly gathered up between them -- like it always did every time Eskel touched him now -- and had welled up to a point where Alucard felt…<i>full</i>, almost. The fire crackled merrily next to them, and the night bugs sang in his ears.</p><p>It was strange to lie there with Eskel so close, both in body and in mind. Strange and wonderful. It suddenly reminded him of the first time that they’d met, all those months ago, when Eskel had nearly frozen to death trying to save Geralt, and Alucard had ended up sleeping with him in his wolf form to keep him warm. It was a good memory. Stressful, at the time. With more than a year between then and now, Alucard could look back at the time he’d spent cuddled up to Eskel with more fondness. </p><p>He’d been so impressed by Eskel’s ability and his stubborn will and loyalty. If anything, his good opinion of Eskel had only improved with time.</p><p>He carded his fingers through Eskel’s hair.</p><p>As pleasant as this moment right now was, Alucard knew that it couldn’t last. Eskel’s mind was more accepting right now because of whatever he’d inhaled, but Alucard’s will was a weapon honed over centuries. Spellcasting might cause Eskel serious damage when they were this connected, even with Eskel’s mind so relaxed. </p><p>More than that, Alucard wasn’t sure that this level of telepathy was something that Eskel would be comfortable with once he was sober. This easy exchange of memories and fantasies wasn’t something he’d agreed to. Neither of them did, really. Alucard didn’t want that to taint the friendship they shared. </p><p>Still, nothing could be done until Eskel was more in his right mind, though Alucard had to admit to himself that part of that was because he simply wouldn’t be able to concentrate while Eskel was in need. Especially when his inevitable spellwork to fix the block on their bond would only cut them off from each other more. That would only distress Eskel when he was in this state.</p><p>For now, they could rest together. </p><p>Alucard could already feel Eskel’s mind slip into drowsy dozing as the fragmented thoughts and half-seen hallucinations in his mind faded and calmed into something more like a sleeper’s dreams. They could enjoy this moment for a little while longer, the warmth that sparked between them and the comfort of being so close. Of being cared for and held.</p><p>---</p><p>Eskel groaned, slowly dragging himself back to consciousness. </p><p>Gods, what the hell had he eaten last night? His mouth was dry and felt… weird. And his nose stung like he’d been sniffing ground chilis for a few hours. </p><p>But he was warm. Very, very warm. And he was cuddled up to a warm, wonderful body.</p><p><i>Alucard</i>.</p><p>Shock forced his eyes open wide, and he was staring right into Alucard’s beautiful golden-black eyes.</p><p>“Oh,” Eskel said softly. In a rush, the previous day’s events flooded back to him.</p><p>Oh <i>gods</i>, he and Geralt had gotten <i>so high</i>. </p><p>“How do you feel?” Alucard asked and Eskel realized his leg was insinuated firmly between Alucard’s legs, pressing up against...</p><p>“Uh, sorry!” He shifted into a more appropriate position and tried again. “I’m good?” </p><p>That made Alucard smile.</p><p>“You don’t sound too sure of that.” Gods, they were so close that Eskel could feel the way Alucard’s words vibrated through his chest. A very naked chest that was flush against Eskels own, very naked chest.</p><p>He really wasn’t sure at all. Eskel was torn between confusion over how they were situated, embarrassment from all the clearly stupid shit he’d babbled to himself, and the pure, wonderful <i>joy</i> of being wrapped up around Alucard’s body. It was so <i>warm</i>. For the first time in weeks he felt whole. He wasn’t even hungry. </p><p>They were already so close together, Eskel couldn’t resist ducking his head down to press Alucard into a tight hug.</p><p>“It’s been a strange week,” Eskel said after a moment.</p><p>Then Eskel realized he was only in his underwear. Hard on the heels of that was the realization that his pants were still in the river. </p><p>Hopefully.</p><p>Eskel groaned, and pressed his forehead against Alucard’s neck. “Oh gods, Geralt owes me so big.”</p><p>Alucard did not laugh at him. Eskel could have kissed him for that.</p><p>“Your clothes are hung up and drying,” Alucard said, nodding towards the remnants of the fire next to them. </p><p>Indeed, all of Eskel’s clothes, and armor too, had been laid out on sticks propped next to the fire, using its heat to dry them out. His swords were both next to the blanket on the ground that Eskel and Alucard were currently laying on, and Alucard’s coat was spread over them as a cover.</p><p>“It’s starting to be a habit of yours, saving my frozen ass and my wet things.” Eskel sighed. There were days where he felt like a damn walking disaster. He had to smile a little though, and he looked up to Alucard’s eyes again. There were far, far worse ways to wake up then warm and cuddled up next to one of his favorite people. Even if it did mean things were a little crazy on the lead up to that situation.</p><p>“I’m getting better at drying leather every time,” Alucard answered seriously.</p><p>Eskel snorted in amusement and shook his head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to force you away from whatever you were doing.” Then he paused, thinking hard. “Also… why are you here? You were in Castlevania, weren’t you?”</p><p>Surely, getting stoned wasn’t enough to bring Alucard’s attention to him. He’d already had various injuries while on the Path in the last few months -- nothing serious, but enough that he was well aware that Alucard wouldn’t come running just because of a little hardship.</p><p>“I was, yes,” Alucard admitted. “Up until whatever happened here knocked me out cold.”</p><p>“What?!” Eskel sat up a bit and gave Alucard a quick glance over to see if there were any visible injuries. Everything looked in place.</p><p>“It felt like a universe galloped merrily through my head,” Alucard said thoughtfully.</p><p>Eskel wracked his brain to try and come up with what might have caused that. Then it dawned on him.</p><p>“Oh,” he said quietly. “Geralt.” </p><p>When Alucard just looked at him with his eyebrows slightly raised, Eskel’s face went hot with a blush.</p><p>“Geralt,” Alucard repeated.</p><p>Eskel rubbed his eyes and took a breath. “This past weekend, Dracula and I, uh. Spent some time together.” The blush on Eskel’s cheeks grew a little hotter, but he ignored it. “Well, Dracula said he’d never gotten flowers before. Which is utter <i>bullshit</i> because Geralt has been fucking you two for, what, a year and a half now? So I grabbed him and we went to go pick some flowers.” Eskel paused, and looked sideways for a moment. Then he licked his lips. “In an old mage’s abandoned garden. That had some, er, incredible things in it.” </p><p>He thought about the vast carpet of hallucinogenic mushrooms that Eskel and Geralt had all but frolicked through. Repeatedly.</p><p>“You went to pick him flowers?” Alucard said in a tone that if Eskel didn’t know better he would have described as envy.</p><p>“We were gonna save some for you, too,” Eskel said. “Geralt was going to go give Dracula some, and then give you yours. We got you hearts, too. And furs… though I don’t think you’ll want the furs. Actually,” Eskel paused for a moment. “Geralt might have been stoned already by then. I mean, he was eating the wolves as we were dressing them…”</p><p>“... Eating the wolves,” Alucard repeated flatly.</p><p>For whatever irrational reason, Eskel felt the need to defend his brother, despite the fact that he himself was a little nonplussed at Geralt’s behavior at the time. </p><p>“Sometimes you get hungry on the Path. And sometimes the easiest thing to do is just… eat a little meat. I mean, it’s <i>fresh</i>. It’s not like we can get sick from it.” Eskel shrugged a little, and made a little half gesture that he hoped would express something like, <i>what can you do?</i>. “Anyways. Geralt was going to take it all to give to you two. I mean. He’s your…” Eskel shrugged a little helplessly. “It should be him who gives you two things first.”</p><p>Alucard opened his mouth and paused, before he spoke. “Do you want to give us hearts and flowers?”</p><p>“Flowers, very much so,” Eskel said quietly, thinking about Dracula spread out on a bed of petals and vines. Adding in Alucard to that picture wasn’t doing him any favors. He shook his head quickly, banishing the thought. “And hearts, maybe. I think I would have gotten you something better than wolf hearts, but, well, Geralt thought it was a great idea and we had already killed the whole pack…”</p><p><i>Maybe a griffon heart</i>, Eskel speculated. <i>Something impressive enough to be a real gift.</i></p><p>“Father is going to be unbearably smug,” Alucard said, and yup, that was definite envy in his voice.</p><p>Now Eskel felt a little bad. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I thought Geralt would go straight from the castle and Dracula to you in the tower. You were going to get your gifts, too. I… I gave it all to him before I shoved him through the portal.”</p><p>“Don’t apologize. I would have probably gotten them if I stayed in the castle long enough to see them.” Alucard shrugged.</p><p>“Geralt didn’t have enough arms, err, well not enough…” Eskel looked for the right words. Damn, this always happened. “He could only carry so much, and it was sort of urgent that he leave. So… I still have the furs we, he, was going to give you. If you want furs?”</p><p>Eskel waited a moment and then looked away. He didn’t have the will to get up, to move away, but he felt more exposed now than ever.</p><p>“I want the furs,” Alucard said decisively.</p><p>“They aren’t, you know, treated yet. They won’t be soft to wear or put on your bed just yet,” he hedged. “They’re freshly skinned.”</p><p>“I will get somebody at the castle to cure them,” Alucard said quickly. “I want your furs.”</p><p>Happiness bubbled up inside of Eskel, lighter and freer than he’d ever really expected. He pressed a swift, chast kiss to Alucard’s lips and cuddled closer. “I’ll give them to you before you leave,” he said, voice a little rougher than normal. For once, it didn’t even bother him.</p><p>“I won’t share with Father,” Alucard decided. “He should have shared better when I passed through.”</p><p>Eskel snorted in laughter, and then broke into snickering. </p><p>After a moment, he settled down again and brought his mind back around to what had happened to start this whole adventure. </p><p>“So, anyways. Geralt and I went looking for some plants. We picked up a contract on the way, and did a little extra killing.” Eskel gave a half shrug. That was all business as usual. “This mage we were looking for, he specialized in extraordinary plants. It’s one of the reasons we came here. Guy disappeared years ago, so we figured it would be available to loot. His garden had spread, though. I didn’t notice, didn’t recognize the Psilocybe. That stuff was everywhere, and Geralt kept falling into it. And sniffing it.” Eskel rolled his eyes. “Gods, he was really fucking high. By the time I’d figured it out, I was pretty out of my head too. In my defense, normally Psilocybe needs to be eaten to get you fucked up. This stuff had mutated to make the spores hallucinogens, too. We were already halfway through collecting the flowers when I realized just what was going on. Found some amazing ones, too. Or I hope we did,” he muttered under his breath. If they were so stoned, it was possible that they’d gathered up nothing but trash and sticks, thinking they were gorgeous blooms. “And then…”</p><p>He winced.</p><p>“What happened?” Alucard asked. The pre-dawn gloom was casting shadows over his pale skin, but doing nothing to hide the gold glow of Alucard’s eyes. Soon, Alucard would have to change forms to protect himself from the sunlight. Eskel was grateful he’d woken before then.</p><p>“We found the mage’s body, next to a dead experiment. I’d just read the man’s journal, so I already knew the details of what was going on, and I knew the damn thing wouldn’t still be alive. But Geralt saw it and saw the body and he… well, he lost his shit. And then <i>I</i> started to see it, too. All it takes is one suggestion from one stoned person to get other stoned people to start to see the same shit, and that’s exactly what happened. But by that time, I’d just figured out we were both drugged out of our minds. I had to get Geralt away, get him calm. I was able to pull him back, but he was panicking.” </p><p>Eskel worked his jaw back and forth. He didn’t like seeing Geralt in such a position, and he especially didn’t like knowing that it could have gone so much worse.</p><p>“I didn’t want him to fight, even an imaginary enemy. He’s too dangerous for that kind of thing.” Eskel said grimly, remembering how hard it was to put out Geralt’s Igni. In the worst case scenario Geralt could burn down the forest and maybe the village at the foot of the mountain, too. “So I got Geralt to focus on the mark Dracula left on me, rather than whatever bullshit our minds were making up. I can feel his power when I touch it, and I just reminded Geralt that Dracula’s power was with us, and that <i>that</i> was real. Honestly, I was kind of hoping that his drugged out mind would take that and run with it, and feel safe rather than threatened, but… uh. I’m not sure that was a smart idea.”</p><p>“May I look at it?” Alucard said after a second.</p><p>“Yes,” Eskel said immediately, uncoiling himself a little from his tight hold on Alucard’s body.</p><p>Alucard shifted under Eskel, his arm wrapping tightly around Eskel’s back and then they were rolling and Eskel’s back was hitting the blanket that they’d been sleeping on.</p><p>Alucard raised himself over Eskel, braced on one elbow, and looked at Eskel’s chest. His hair fell mostly over his left shoulder; the ends trailed down to tickle at Eskel’s chest and stomach. The position seemed very intimate for all that they had less contact now than they had a moment before.</p><p>Alucard lifted his hand to hover his fingers above the triangular mark on Eskel’s chest, now filled to the brim with tightly packed little runes. His fingers glowed blue at the tips. Eskel could feel the magic in them, the way it radiated off of Alucard’s hand to gently sluice over his skin.</p><p>The mark did not remain passive under the questing touch. It tingled first, with little zings of heat that travelled through the dark lines. Then Eskel felt a weird light itching. It was the strange sensation of the runes starting to move, to <i>unravel</i>. </p><p>He watched, fascinated, as one by one, tiny tendrils of darkness rose up from the mark and touched Alucard’s fingers. They moved carefully at first, then gaining confidence with each passing second. </p><p>Five, ten, then twenty tendrils reached up and out to wrap around the ends of Alucard’s fingers. It took Eskel a moment to realize they were eating the magic off of whatever spell Alucard had going. Soon, the blue glow disappeared completely. The tendrils stayed against Alucard’s skin for a moment longer, twisting and checking for more magic on Alucard’s hand, before slowly sinking back into Eskel’s skin.</p><p>“What...” Eskel asked in a hushed whisper. He swallowed and tried again. “What did you find out?”</p><p>“That my Father is either utterly brilliant or utterly lazy,” Alucard said matter-of-factly.</p><p>Eskel waited, hoping that there might be more to that explanation.</p><p>Alucard’s eyes flicked to his and he seemed to realize that Eskel was not getting anything out of his explanation.</p><p>“The mark seems to be at least half-sentient,” Alucard said finally. “It’s sentient enough to want to protect itself from interference. That’s why it ate my diagnostic spell. It’s also sentient enough to recognize me, and most probably Geralt, as well.”</p><p>“Huh. Well that’s…” Comforting? Unsettling? Vaguely terrifying? Eskel really couldn’t decide on what exactly whatever he was feeling <i>was</i> in the face of the knowledge that Dracula put a <i>half alive</i> magical tattoo on his chest. “That explains why it kept growing for a while,” he finally said, his eyes a little wide.</p><p>“Oh no, <i>that</i> is definitely Dracula’s direct fault.” Alucard shook his head. “This kind of construct doesn’t evolve. It’s forever unchanged unless the creator of it changes it or allows for the change in some way.”</p><p>That was mildly more comforting. At least Dracula was keeping an eye on things rather than just letting something spread of its own will across Eskel’s body. Even if he had compressed it later.</p><p>“Why did you get the first one?” Alucard asked, tracing the black lines of the mark and watching as the not-ink rose up from Eskel’s skin to meet his fingers.</p><p>Eskel’s face burned, and he glanced to the side. “By being fucking stupid.” He waited a moment, and then realized that not only would Alucard not have heard this story, but that maybe he might appreciate knowing. Perhaps it wasn’t just idle curiosity that drove the question. </p><p>He licked his lips and shrugged. “In Steingard’s dungeon, Dracula and I made a deal. He wanted his fantasy and I needed to get everything I owned replaced, because it had all been stripped from me and pawned. After he healed me the first time I could have left, but we both had things we wanted.”</p><p>“It doesn’t look like a deal mark. Those rarely, if ever, have physical evidence at all. That’s the point of them, you see, to be easily ignorable. A trap.”</p><p>Eskel shook his head. “No, this isn’t from that deal. It’s just. I was chained up, and Steingard came in and he--” Eskel had to take a breath to stem off the little latent trill of panic that threatened to rise up in him. </p><p><i>It’s just a stupid memory, it was just a little fucking torture, it is fine</i>, he thought ruthlessly at himself. <i>Get over it, witcher</i>. </p><p>Eskel continued. “Steingard came in to get information about Geralt and you. You’d just been seen by the city guard entering the city. I don’t know if you ever heard, but Steingard’s specialty was breaking witchers. He’d devoted his life to it. So I knew that he--” Eskel swallowed hard. “He was eager to get his hands on me. But he came in asking questions, and took Dracula instead. He was threatening to drag him into sunlight. And I <i>know</i> Geralt said Dracula couldn’t be killed, but, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t be hurt. And you’d already said that you could be hurt by the sun.” Eskel looked up into Alucard’s eyes, maybe pleading a little to be understood. “I couldn’t let him be hurt like that. I got Steingard’s attention instead.” </p><p>A shudder crawled up Eskel’s spine as he thought about being strapped down, chained, beaten, his mouth forced open and an awful, thick tube shoved down his throat. The way he couldn’t close his mouth. The feel of the cold poison that was poured into him, and the sheer terror that went through him when he realized that Steingard had meant to <i>flay him alive</i>.</p><p>Eskel shook, swallowed hard and blinked it away. Alucard’s body was warm against his, and they were in a nice, quiet forest. The only thing he could smell was Alucard’s magic and body, the campfire next to them, and the soft, sweet scent of greenery all around. They were in the woods. Next to a cold as fuck stream. Not in a dank, foul dungeon.</p><p>“I found out afterwards that the sun wouldn’t have done anything to him. I’d volunteered to get tortured for nothing. Dracula offered me a boon to repay me, but I refused,” Eskel said quietly. “Taking gifts from a chaos god seemed like a really fucking stupid idea. He put this on me instead.”</p><p>Eskel shrugged, and looked down at the twisting glyphs on his chest. A chill had fallen over him from just thinking about what had happened. He took a few more breaths and tried to shove it off.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Alucard said, looking stricken. “I had no idea it was that bad for you. I… I’m so sorry, Eskel.”</p><p>“It’s fine,” Eskel said quietly. “Dracula put me to sleep before Steingard started with the flaying. That… that would have been harder to bear than the rest of it. When Steingard couldn’t wake me back up, he left to save the rest of his process for later. No permanent damage done.” </p><p>“I… I’m glad Father didn’t let anybody flay you,” Alucard said, still looking deeply upset.</p><p>“Me, too,” Eskel said soberly. “Geralt ran into Steingard’s previous experiment, a Cat school witcher named Kiyan. He was still alive without a single scrap of skin on him. Totally mad and still a terrifyingly good fighter; his mind was so broken that he’d been possessed.”</p><p>Alucard took a slow, deep breath. He pursed his lips and nodded.</p><p>“This,” Alucard said touching the mark on Eskel’s chest, “is a mark of Favor. It’s meant to be visible, meant to be disturbing, even. It’s not designed to get power over you, but as a way to, sort of, repay you. To offer protection. Part of that is just the discouragement factor. It’s why it's so... moveable, for lack of a better word. It would disturb most magic users. Things of the Dark would recognize it as a mark of their Lord, too.”</p><p>“Dracula said that demons might recognize it and leave me be,” Eskel said thoughtfully. “I figured it would be too much of a pain in the ass to show off a perfect heart shot to an enemy on the off chance that it might get them to back down.” He shrugged. “I also figured that it basically just said, ‘mine’.” </p><p>“I think it… used to?” Alucard sounded hesitant. “Still does, kind of?” </p><p>Eskel took another slow breath, cleansing his thoughts of the leftover distress from recounting his torture. Being close to Alucard helped a great deal. He felt warm all down to his toes, and his hand on Alucard’s side made his fingers tingle pleasantly. </p><p>“Dracula told me that he wasn’t sure what this would turn into, that he’d never done this before.” Eskel ran his fingers across the glyphs, and felt a different kind of tingle on his skin as he did so.</p><p>“That’s true enough,” Alucard nodded. “I haven’t seen him so much as look at a human being long enough to know their name, much less like them, before Geralt and you witchers showed up. But I also think he got very… ambitious with this mark.”</p><p>That made Eskel huff in laughter. “I guess we’ll see what it turns into. Between this,” he tapped his finger on the mark, “the lien he’s got on my soul, and the bond I have with you… I’m very… secure, I suppose.” He frowned. “I’m not sure I’m saying that right.”</p><p>With so many ways Eskel was connected to them all, it was becoming more and more unlikely that he would ever wander off. His life was already entwined with Geralt’s, given their history and friendship, but now there were far more tangible connections between him and the vampires. Layers of involvement and alliance. No doubt Dracula was trying to make sure that Eskel was kept neatly in place, right where he wanted. <i>Secure</i> in more ways than one.</p><p>A year and a half ago, that thought would have terrified Eskel. Now, it felt mostly reassuring.</p><p>“I don’t know how Geralt did it, but I think he opened it up.” Alucard sounded thoughtful, as if he was looking for the correct words. His fingers were still trailing gently over the marked skin, seemingly unaware of the fact he was narrowly missing Eskel’s nipple every time he traced the bottom line of the triangular mark. Eskel very deliberately did not stop the roving movement.</p><p>“What do you mean ‘opened’?”</p><p>“It’s locked,” Alucard said. “Whatever it is, it’s locked up tight right now. But Geralt opened it somehow and released enough energy to demolish the block on our bond and to wipe out most of my mental defenses with it. I actually passed out on my desk for a moment.”</p><p>“Oh,” Eskel said softly. “So it hurt you through our bond.”</p><p>Guilt made him wilt a little in place. Here he was, dragging Alucard away from his work <i>and</i> knocking him out cold, too. Gods, some help Eskel was.</p><p>“To be fair, it wasn’t the power itself that hurt me but my own constructs failing under the pressure. All mages create barriers and walls in their minds to stop the backlash of whatever power they are using from liquifying their minds if something goes wrong. It's a standard practice to guard against botched up spells or foreign intrusions. Mine didn’t hold up.” Alucard frowned. “It did feel mostly like my Father though, so the power itself was not lashing out at me. There was just… a hell of a lot of it.”</p><p>“Are you alright now?” Eskel asked quietly.</p><p>“Yes,” Alucard nodded. “Most of the headache went away while I slept.”</p><p>“Good. That’s good.” Eskel still felt a bit guilty, but at least Alucard was alright now.</p><p>“If you want to be angry at anybody, be angry at my Father. It’s his meddling that caused this.” Alucard wrinkled his nose, and sounded fondly exasperated. </p><p>“I’m not angry,” Eskel said with a shake of his head. He reached up to trail a finger down Alucard’s jaw, relishing the sensation of touching him. “I’m upset with myself for causing you trouble. I feel bad that you had to run across two worlds to come deal with my mess.”</p><p>“You are literally the last person to cause me trouble. My Father... that one delights in it. Geralt... that one seems to be unable to go a month without stumbling into something. You at least seem like the <i>sane</i> one in this bunch.” Alucard paused, frowning. Then his frown cleared. “And you promised me furs.”</p><p>Eskel huffed in amusement and smiled. “I did. We should probably get them before the sun comes up.” Before Alucard could move away, Eskel reached up to cup his chin. “Did I… did I dream you showing me your memories?”</p><p>As far as Eskel could tell, last night he and Alucard had been sharing thoughts again. It was hard to know if that was truth or just more hallucination, though.</p><p>Alucard blushed, just the tiniest bit. “I showed you some of my memories, yes. Seemed easier than trying to explain.”</p><p>Eskel let out a soft breath of relief. “It was. It helped. Thank you.” </p><p>He smiled up to Alucard and wished for a moment that they could kiss. Not the soft chaste kisses they sometimes shared while cuddling, but really kiss. It was odd, so odd that Eskel found himself wanting to do things for both Alucard and Dracula. He wanted to see them cared for and comfortable. He wanted them happy, and would have been thrilled to be the one to give them that happiness.</p><p>Having Alucard to talk to had helped Eskel put a great deal of his relationship with Dracula into perspective, too, even if the conversation last night was plagued by distraction and half-seen hallucinations. Both Geralt and Alucard had been helpful in their own ways. </p><p>It was extremely comforting to know that neither of them felt poorly of Eskel for his lack of control. In fact, they didn’t seem to think that it even <i>was</i> a lack of control; they only seemed to look at it as another form of pleasure in bed. </p><p>Eskel had thought that it was a weakness, something that meant he was broken, but maybe it wasn’t. </p><p>Maybe it was just another kind of trust. </p><p>He wanted to find out. He wanted to see what Dracula might look like the next time they got together, and to see the pleased look in Dracula’s eyes when Eskel gave him a little more of that trust. Eskel knew himself well enough to know that he still had concerns and worries, but one by one they were slowly being worn away.</p><p>“You’d look very pretty in fur,” Eskel said softly, brushing his thumb against Alucard’s lips. “If you like them, I could look for more for you.”</p><p>“I know I look good in fur,” Alucard said with a smirk.</p><p>Eskel laughed. “Pretty wolf. I guess I’ll have to go looking for something special. I’m going to have to do that anyways for Dracula. After I calmed Geralt down and shoved him through the Wolf portal to the castle, I basically scavenged everything useful thing I could from that garden. There’s not much left there. Gonna bring it back to Vesemir to bolster his gardens at the keep.”</p><p>He paused a moment and gave Alucard a hungry look up and down. Gods, he’d missed him, and not just because of their bond or how touching him made Eskel feel whole. He’d missed his friend.</p><p>“I’m headed back to Kaer Morhen,” Eskel said, a little hesitant. “It’ll be slow moving, because of the plants, but if you’re not in a rush to get back to your tower you could travel with me?”</p><p>It would take several days to make it down to the keep unburdened, maybe as much as a week and a half with all the plants in tow as well. He knew damn well that Alucard had duties to attend to, but just thinking about a whole week of companionship set a little ball of hope fluttering in his chest.</p><p>“If you don’t mind having a wolf as a companion for the daylight hours,” Alucard agreed easily. </p><p>A wide, happy smile spread across Eskel’s face. “That sounds great.” Then his smile turned more wry. “And count yourself lucky, I’m not the one who sings bawdy drinking songs while out on the Path. For that, you’ll have to go spend some time with Geralt.”</p><p>“He sang?” Alucard blinked at Eskel. Then he seemed to consider something. “Why do I get a feeling he is not very, uh, talented in that direction?”</p><p>Eskel sniggered quietly. “Because you’re a smart, smart person. My voice sounds like shit, but at least I can hold a tune.”</p><p>“I remember,” Alucard nodded. Then he looked up at the lightening sky. “It’s dawn.”</p><p>Quick as a flash, Eskel darted forward to press one more soft, chaste kiss on Alucard’s lips. </p><p>“Time to put on your fur.”</p><p>Alucard’s laughter sounded through the small camp and lasted all the way through his rapid change. Within moments, instead of Alucard standing in front of him, there was the huge wolf, just barely smaller than one of the horses. His long fangs peeked out from between his lips and his tail wrapped primly around his paws as he sat and stared at Eskel with large, golden eyes.</p><p>Yes, Alucard did look very beautiful, even in fur.</p><p> </p><p>The End.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey folks! I hoped you enjoyed this romp through the Path with Eskel and Geralt. I know we had fun writing it.</p><p>For those of you who are still wondering what happened to Geralt after he was shoved off through the portal to the castle, then you are in luck! The whole next fic is entirely devoted to Stoned Geralt and his misadventures with Dracula. So stay tuned ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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